Despite two ACL tears, NIU commit Brooke Blumenfeld finishes HS career strong
NORTHBROOK, Ill. (BVM) 鈥� Overcoming an injury, let alone an ACL tear, is not an easy feat. Even tougher is having to do it twice, and that鈥檚 what happened to Brooke Blumenfeld.
Blumenfeld鈥檚 basketball journey started out quite well. She was introduced to the game by her father, and grew a passion for the sport as her dad coached her.
鈥淢y dad was the one who got me involved with it and I loved having him as a coach,鈥� Blumenfeld said.
Blumenfeld鈥檚 youth team went around two years without losing a game according to the basketball standout, as they were the 鈥渢eam to beat鈥� in the area. As Blumenfeld reached middle school, she realized basketball was her future.聽
鈥淚n sixth grade, I knew I wanted to play Division I basketball,鈥� Blumenfeld mentioned. 鈥淚 had my mind set on it. There was no doubt in my mind that I was going to go to a Division I school. There wasn鈥檛 really any other plan.”
The 6-foot standout continued to develop her game as she reached the end of her middle school career. At that point, her future looked as bright as possible.
鈥淭he way I was playing, the work I put in to perform the way I did, I knew no one else was doing that,鈥� Blumenfeld said. 鈥淭hat just showed on the court.鈥�
However, playing in an AAU game during her eighth grade year, everything changed. As Blumenfeld executed a Euro step, she landed awkwardly.
鈥淚t just felt like my knee kind of popped in and out,鈥� Blumenfeld said. 鈥淚 really didn鈥檛 know what an ACL was at the time. The only thing that I can really recall from that is that I was just so devastated because I was never going to get any offers now and it just ruined me.鈥�
A brutal blow when everything had been going right, Blumenfeld鈥檚 injury was more devastating than most. While she performed well during her recovery to get back on the court, the initial stages without basketball were tough.
鈥淭hrough my recovery, I couldn鈥檛 do what I loved,鈥� Blumenfeld said. 鈥淚t really did take a toll on me, especially my mental health. I was sad, and as an eighth grader I was thinking my life was over.鈥�
After a long road back, Blumenfeld would return to the floor. Early into her freshman year at Glenbrook North, she was promoted to varsity, averaging around eight points per game.聽
鈥淚 worked really hard to get back in the gym, to get everything back,鈥� Blumenfeld added.
However, by the summer, it was clear she had made a full comeback. Playing AAU basketball with Wolverinas, Blumenfeld took her game to the next level. At that point, her dream of playing Division I basketball was back.
鈥淚f I didn鈥檛 join them, I would not be a Division I basketball player at all,鈥� Blumenfeld said. 鈥淲hen I joined that team, I was surrounded by these amazing athletes that could do so much more than I鈥檝e ever seen anyone do. I was like, 鈥楬oly cow, this is where I need to be.鈥� I realized if I want to take it to the next level, this can get me there.鈥�
Playing more out on the perimeter during the AAU season, adding to an already dominant post game, Blumenfeld was set for a spectacular sophomore season with Glenbrook North. She averaged a conference–best 15.1 points in 2019-20, also racking up seven rebounds a contest and compiling 49 blocks over the course of the season.
The play of the 6-foot forward would help the Spartans have their best season since the 1992-93 campaign, as they competed in the regional final for the first time in two decades. Blumenfeld finished the season as team MVP as well as an all-conference and all-area player.
鈥淚t was a great feeling to kind of see where I鈥檇 come from and how that impacted my team,鈥� Blumenfeld said. 鈥淚 started to get recognition from newspapers and all these different sources. After my high school season, my recruiting really blew up.鈥�
Blumenfeld鈥檚 first offer came from Northern Illinois, and she began receiving interest from many schools. But just as everything was going right again, heartbreak struck.
Playing with Wolverinas over the summer of 2020, Blumenfeld was shining. Coming off a double-digit scoring game earlier in the day, Blumenfeld was just seconds into the next game of the day when everything changed.
鈥淚 was in the best spot and I was really happy with where I was, excited for the future,鈥� Blumenfeld said. 鈥淏ut 10 seconds into the next game in the tournament, I cut across the lane to the right block, my teammate saw me, threw the ball and I caught it. I was going up for a right hand layup, but I didn鈥檛 even get up. I just felt my right knee kind of twist and give out. It hurt a lot, but I didn鈥檛 think it was my ACL.鈥�
Trainers at the tournament did not believe Brooke had injured her ACL either. However, doctors back home would have a different opinion, confirming the 17-year-old鈥檚 worst fear.
鈥淚 was in my mom鈥檚 car, and she stepped out of the car when she got the call from the doctor,鈥� Blumenfeld said. 鈥淚 saw her and I heard what her response was to the doctor, and I knew it was my ACL. I remember tearing up and I freaked out. It was the worst moment in my life. I鈥檒l never forget that day and that moment.鈥�
Knowing how much work she would have to put in to get back again, the Glenbrook North standout was understandably devastated, especially with what was ahead on the horizon.
鈥淚 was in my bed for a few days just wondering why did this happen to me,鈥� Blumenfeld said. 鈥淚鈥檝e been through this before, why do I have to do it again 鈥� I worked so hard to get to where I was. I was about to get a bunch of offers, and it just slipped away in one second.鈥�
Making things even tougher was the fact that Blumenfeld had to call many college coaches to inform them of the devastating news. However, she never once considered hanging up her sneakers and moving on from basketball. After her surgery, she was determined to get back on the court.
Just wanting to play, Blumenfeld had to be patient to make her return, getting differing opinions from therapists, doctors and family. She also had to learn to trust her knee again on the court, just as she did a few years back. The recovery process wasn鈥檛 easy, as Blumenfeld admits she would come home some days crying.
She would go on to miss a Covid-shortened season at Glenbrook North in 2021, and the Spartans predictably struggled without her.聽
鈥淚t was definitely hard to watch from the sidelines,鈥� Blumenfeld said. 鈥淚 just wanted to hop back in and help them, it was really frustrating.鈥�
Still, Blumenfeld stuck with her team, attending as many practices and games as she could. By the summer, she made her long-awaited return to the court on the AAU circuit. However, having to play with a bulky knee brace and still getting her footing back, basketball just wasn鈥檛 what it used to be.
鈥淕etting back was really hard,鈥� Blumenfeld said. 鈥淢y feet weren鈥檛 as fast, it took a while to feel comfortable with that huge metal brace on my leg. It wasn鈥檛 the same 鈥� It was really frustrating.鈥�
Yet, just as she did back in eighth grade, the Glenbrook North senior worked her way back, getting better each time she took the hardwood. By the early winter, Blumenfeld was ready to shine for the Spartans once again.
鈥淚t really did take a lot of work, I had a great support system,鈥� Blumenfeld added. 鈥淚 played my senior season, it was great.鈥�
Blumenfeld went on to average around 18 points as a senior, bettering her pre-injury sophomore season. However, perhaps the biggest moment of the season 鈥� and one of the greatest points of her comeback story 鈥� was becoming a 1,000-point scorer in late January. She is just the second girl in program history to hit that mark.
Congratulations 鈦︹仼 on scoring your 1000th point as a 鈦︹仼 Spartan. We are so proud of you. 鈦︹仼 鈦GBN_Spirit鈦� 鈦︹仼
— Glenbrook North High School Athletics (@GBN_Athletics)
鈥淚 remember I had eight points to 1,000,鈥� Blumenfeld said. 鈥淚 was just so nervous 鈥� The shot I hit was over a really tall girl. Just hitting that was a relief for me. This is something that high school girls do in four years. I did it in two. This was a huge goal for me and to hit that was just amazing. It was definitely a moment I鈥檒l never forget.
鈥淓very game, we battled really hard. I played my heart out every game, trying to do everything I could to help us win. Just being a part of GBN basketball was amazing.鈥�
The other important chapter of Blumenfeld鈥檚 comeback story came prior to her senior season, as she officially committed to Northern Illinois University (NIU), achieving her dream of reaching the DI level.
Committed. @LexGetIt_NIU
— Brooke Blumenfeld (@Brooke_blume)
鈥淭hey were the first ones to offer me and that meant a lot to me,鈥� Blumenfeld said. 鈥淲hen everything came down, they were like, ‘Your offer isn鈥檛 going anywhere.’ NIU stuck with me through the whole nine months. They called me every week, they were with me through the whole thing. That鈥檚 something that I鈥檒l never forget. They believed in me when no one else did.鈥�
In the many months since she tore an ACL for the second time, Blumenfeld鈥檚 story has gotten noticed. But last month, her story was honored in one of the most spectacular fashions she could dream of. On March 4, during the Chicago Bulls鈥� matchup with the Milwaukee Bucks, Blumenfeld had her story honored at halftime on the jumbotron of the United Center.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know about it until the day we got there,鈥� Blumenfeld said. 鈥淢y mom had been planning it for quite a long time. We got there, we went to this different entrance and were waiting for someone 鈥� She took us down to the court, and we got on the court, and there鈥檚 Giannis shooting free throws, and I was just in awe. Then she took us to the Bulls’ side and Ayo Dosunmu was the first one to come out and we saw him warm up live. My jaw was just like hanging the whole time, it was unreal, I was literally shaking.鈥�
Soon after, Blumenfeld noticed someone videotaping parts of her experience. Then came the realization she鈥檇 be honored at halftime.
Congratulations to and the team for being honored by the Chicago Bulls for Woman's History Month
Also, congratulations to Brooke on being nominated to the 2022 Illinois Basketball Coaches Associate (third team)! @GBN_Spirit
— GBN Girls Varsity Basketball (@GBNGirlsBball)
鈥淭hey told me that this was going to play at halftime and that I鈥檇 be brought out in the center of the court,鈥� Blumenfeld added. 鈥淔or my story to be told in front of thousands of people, that was amazing.鈥�
So too was the next opportunity Blumenfeld had, getting to meet and interact with Bulls鈥� forward Patrick Williams.
AMAZING EXPERIENCE!鉂わ笍
— Brooke Blumenfeld (@Brooke_blume)
鈥淚 was speechless,鈥� Blumenfeld said. 鈥淚 just stood up, shook his hand, and he鈥檚 like, 鈥楬ey, nice to meet you. I heard about your story. Congrats on 1,000 points, that was amazing and to come back from an injury like that makes it even better.鈥� We watched my highlights from sophomore year 鈥� He just kept congratulating me on everything and it was amazing. For the Bulls and Patrick Williams to recognize that, that was insane.鈥�
Blumenfeld has had more and more people reaching out and noticing her incredible story since that night in March. Soon, she will begin the next chapter of her comeback at NIU, continuing to write a story that can inspire anyone.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the right place for me, I鈥檓 really excited to play there,鈥� Blumenfeld said. 鈥淚鈥檓 ready to work and see what I can do for the team.聽
鈥淥bviously tearing one ACL is horrible. People struggle with that, and I鈥檝e done it twice and I tore the second one at the worst time possible. I just feel like if people hear my story that are going through a similar injury, they can see that you can do it. You can overcome anything, but you have to want it and be willing to put in the work. The recovery, the road ahead is going to be hard, it鈥檚 going to be long. But at the end, it will be so worth it when you come back and you get to step foot on the court or the field again for the first time.鈥�
