Michelle Fu, the No. 1 singles player for the Hinsdale Central badminton team, will miss at least the last two meets of the regular season after suffering a concussion in a non-sports mishap.
The injury occurred Tuesday, April 21, when Fu rushed to get inside her friend’s minivan to take a ride. She did not duck her head enough and banged it against the top of the doorway. The next day, Fu defaulted while playing two-time defending state champ Stephanie Lin in a conference dual meet at Lyons.
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“I felt light-headed. I was losing badly and I couldn’t breathe,” Fu said. “On Thursday, I was dizzy and went to see a trainer.”
Fu missed Hinsdale South’s ABCD Invitational Saturday, April 25, and has already been ruled out for the West Suburban Silver meet Friday and Saturday at Hinsdale Central. Fu will also sit out the final dual meet of the season when the Devils play at Oak Park-River Forest Tuesday, April 28.
“I’m not allowed to practice and I’m not allowed even on the court,” Fu said. “I am working on making a full recovery and support my team and coach [teammates] too.”
Fu was hoping to make a strong finish to the season after going 2-2 in last year’s state meet. Senior teammate Ryan Ricker, who defeated Fu 26-24, 22-20, at last year’s state meet, will play No. 1 singles at the conference meet.
Hinsdale Central coach Katie Maley said she has not determined who will fill Ricker’s spot at No. 2 singles.
According to Fu, the school’s concussion policy requires her to take five days off from competition once she is free of symptoms. Maley said Monday that Fu still has concussion symptoms and is being tested regularly to measure her cognitive abilities.
Fu plans on returning for the Hinsdale South Sectional, which starts Thursday, May 7.
“Hopefully she’ll be ready to come back for sectionals,” Maley said. “I don’t think it will affect her for the sectional.”
Twitter: @geomwilcox