In the state of Indiana, there’s no denying Hoosiers take their basketball seriously. Last fall, Jac-Cen-Del Coach Scott Smith tore his Achilles tendon during tourney time. Having coached the Jac-Cen-Del Lady Eagles for 23 years, Scott didn’t think twice about postponing his surgery and doing whatever it took to ensure he was there to help his team finish strong.

“I was at practice with the girls, and decided to jump in for warm-ups when I heard a tremendous pop and fell to the floor,” said Scott. “With this being my last year as coach, it was unbelievably important to me to finish this one last ride with my team.”

Scott immediately contacted staff at MMH who scheduled him for an MRI, as well as an appointment with Orthopedic Surgeon J.D. Stephens. Together, they arranged a plan to manage the injury until surgery could be scheduled following the tournament.

“Because Dr. Stephens was a former high school athlete himself, he understood how important it was for me to finish the season coaching,” said Scott. “I found him to be flexible, thorough and caring.”

Unfortunately, the Lady Eagles weren’t able to bring home a state championship win, but Scott credits MMH for allowing him to be on the sidelines for game day. That following Monday, he underwent a successful surgery and is now on the mend as he undergoes physical therapy with MMH’s rehab team.

“I would like to thank every single person who stepped in to care for me,” said Scott. “You won’t find this level of family-oriented care in a larger hospital. The staff was as vested in my success as I was.”