Strong.

Fast.

Resilient.

Recovering from an injury is a strenuous process, especially with the pressure to return as a star. Shortly after becoming a varsity cross country runner, Abbie Ravanelli (a freshman at the time) suffered a common running injury, a stress fracture. Knowing she couldn’t let this minor setback get in her way, Ravanelli’s persistent work ethic led to her comeback story.

“I thought it was just shin splints, but after I ran the first meet and made varsity, it started to really throb, so I went to the doctor and got an MRI. It ended up being a level 4 stress fracture (the highest degree) in my tibia,” Ravanelli said.

As a result, Ravanelli was out for the remainder of the cross country season. In a blink of an eye, she went from being a competitor to a bystander cheering on her teammates.

“You don’t realize how much you love something until you can’t [take part in it],” Ravanelli said.

Aware that running would have to be put on hold for the time being, Ravanelli began her recovery journey with a persistent attitude.

“Step by step, doing a little more every day, with lots of patience and trusting the process,” Ravanelli explained.

Her dedication and commitment to becoming the very best she could be was exemplified through the words of her biggest fan and #1 supporter, her mom.  

“Abbie is a fighter and doesn’t give up. Even though she couldn’t run for two months she utilized the Homestead High School weight room and pool,” Vikki Ravanelli, Abbie’s mother, said.

Not only was Ravanelli completing the rigorous workouts for her personal growth, but also out of love for her teammates.

“My teammates mean everything to me, they’re what make doing the hard workouts worth while,” Ravanelli said.    

Taylor Apel, sophomore and fellow teammate on the JV cross country team describes Abbie as strong, driven and lively.

 “Even when she got a stress fracture, Abbie never gave up and just worked harder to grow stronger for the next season. Abbie never quits and always goes above and beyond the expectations to be the best competitor out there. She’s also such a bright person and really brings a fun dynamic to the team. There was always a smile on her face, even when she couldn’t run with us,” Apel said.