St. Ambrose player pivots to reach his dreams

For SAU guard Demarco Harden and ORA PT Sara Hipsman, the journey from surgical suite back to the hardwood has included two years of working side-by-side and never letting the dream die.

St. Ambrose University guard Demarco Harden

College basketball season is underway and one Quad City player has his eye on the ball as well as his future.

Sometimes real life gets in the way of your hoop dreams

“I have loved the game since I was a kid, and it has always been my dream to play college basketball,” says St. Ambrose University basketball guard, Demarco Harden.

The former Galesburg, Il, Silver Streak, says he’s been dribbling since he was five years old, filled with hoop dreams to play at the collegiate level.

However, like the game of life, basketball has handed him some tough lessons early in his career.

“The first day of my freshman year at St. Ambrose, I was playing ball with some friends when I heard a ‘pop.’ My knee just gave out. We were only playing around, but I had torn my patellar tendon in my left knee,” Demarco recalls.

Refusing to let a set back (or two) set him back

The injury set him back a full season and he missed the first two months of classes. Undeterred, he rehabilitated and finished his freshman year, ready for another run at a spot on the junior varsity team. “The fall of my sophomore year, we had just started practicing when I noticed the same knee kept swelling up.”

Demarco remembers his doctor, Sports Medicine Surgeon Andrew Bries, ORA Orthopedics, delivering another round of bad news. “I had retorn the same tendon again. I couldn’t believe it.”

With his career on the line, Demarco said both he and Dr. Bries were taking no chances. “I knew I was out for my sophomore year, and it was all about saving my knee to play going forward.”

ORA Physical Therapist Sara Hipsman.

Following his second surgery, Demarco met ORA Physical Therapist Sara Hipsman. “When I saw him right after surgery, he wasn’t putting any weight on his knee. For six to eight weeks, it was locked in a brace, and he went back to square one again.

“It can be frustrating. Demarco put in all the effort and patience the second time. Dr. Bries took a more conservative approach to rehab, which meant more time off for Demarco.”

Sara says he progressed through his rehab with a profound amount of patience. “We really focused on leg strength and endurance to bring him back. We did not want a repeat injury.”

Demarco’s road to recovery started in the pool

The rehab took 11 months. Demarco started in ORA’s therapy pool. He walked first, then progressed to running on the underwater treadmill.

He did table exercises, then slow, light bodyweight work, followed by strength and conditioning, before graduating to full weight sets, relearning how to squat and lunge. Sara would increase the weights, “then to the fun stuff,” as he progressed to jumping.

Along the way, a partnership and friendship developed.

Sara also attended St. Ambrose and is a PT alumna. His dedication impressed her. “He never said, ‘No. I don’t want to do that.’ He didn’t complain. Even after two years of rehab, not one complaint, which just blew my mind.”

The power of teamwork x the strength of friendship = a winning combination

ORA PT, Sara Hipsman encourages SAU guard Demarco Harden as he strengthens his knees and patellar tendon.

“I knew with Sara I could get back,” adds Demarco. “When it comes to knees, she’s one of the smartest people I have ever met.”

Sara says that by the summer, he was doing well, and drove from Galesburg to keep therapy going weekly.

“He took this very seriously. He didn’t miss a beat. He did whatever he needed to do the right way. Now with a new season, he’s really got a shot at playing varsity. He says his legs feel like ‘Jell-O,’ but he’s running and jumping for 90 minutes straight.”

“I’m hopeful. This might be the year. My coach wants me to be healthy for the season and play, but not worry about playing time.”

What Demarco’s future holds

However, Demarco says, regardless of how his remaining collegiate career plays out, his injuries have taught him wisdom and pointed the way to his future.

“The journey tells me that I want to be a PT, thanks to Sara and my past injuries. I want to go to PT school and be a therapist to help athletes like myself.

“It would be great to watch my own patients progress through their injuries as I did. Nothing is long-term. Nothing in life will be easy and handed to you. You have to work for what you want.”

And in the stands, Demarco will have a new fan. “We both are Bees,” Sara says proudly. “I’ll be there for his first game, cheering for him now and always.”

St. Ambrose University guard Demarco Harden

College basketball season is underway and one Quad City player has his eye on the ball as well as his future.

Sometimes real life gets in the way of your hoop dreams

“I have loved the game since I was a kid, and it has always been my dream to play college basketball,” says St. Ambrose University basketball guard, Demarco Harden.

The former Galesburg, Il, Silver Streak, says he’s been dribbling since he was five years old, filled with hoop dreams to play at the collegiate level.

However, like the game of life, basketball has handed him some tough lessons early in his career.

“The first day of my freshman year at St. Ambrose, I was playing ball with some friends when I heard a ‘pop.’ My knee just gave out. We were only playing around, but I had torn my patellar tendon in my left knee,” Demarco recalls.

Refusing to let a set back (or two) set him back

The injury set him back a full season and he missed the first two months of classes. Undeterred, he rehabilitated and finished his freshman year, ready for another run at a spot on the junior varsity team. “The fall of my sophomore year, we had just started practicing when I noticed the same knee kept swelling up.”

Demarco remembers his doctor, Sports Medicine Surgeon Andrew Bries, ORA Orthopedics, delivering another round of bad news. “I had retorn the same tendon again. I couldn’t believe it.”

With his career on the line, Demarco said both he and Dr. Bries were taking no chances. “I knew I was out for my sophomore year, and it was all about saving my knee to play going forward.”

ORA Physical Therapist Sara Hipsman.

Following his second surgery, Demarco met ORA Physical Therapist Sara Hipsman. “When I saw him right after surgery, he wasn’t putting any weight on his knee. For six to eight weeks, it was locked in a brace, and he went back to square one again.

“It can be frustrating. Demarco put in all the effort and patience the second time. Dr. Bries took a more conservative approach to rehab, which meant more time off for Demarco.”

Sara says he progressed through his rehab with a profound amount of patience. “We really focused on leg strength and endurance to bring him back. We did not want a repeat injury.”

Demarco’s road to recovery started in the pool

The rehab took 11 months. Demarco started in ORA’s therapy pool. He walked first, then progressed to running on the underwater treadmill.

He did table exercises, then slow, light bodyweight work, followed by strength and conditioning, before graduating to full weight sets, relearning how to squat and lunge. Sara would increase the weights, “then to the fun stuff,” as he progressed to jumping.

Along the way, a partnership and friendship developed.

Sara also attended St. Ambrose and is a PT alumna. His dedication impressed her. “He never said, ‘No. I don’t want to do that.’ He didn’t complain. Even after two years of rehab, not one complaint, which just blew my mind.”

The power of teamwork x the strength of friendship = a winning combination

ORA PT, Sara Hipsman encourages SAU guard Demarco Harden as he strengthens his knees and patellar tendon.

“I knew with Sara I could get back,” adds Demarco. “When it comes to knees, she’s one of the smartest people I have ever met.”

Sara says that by the summer, he was doing well, and drove from Galesburg to keep therapy going weekly.

“He took this very seriously. He didn’t miss a beat. He did whatever he needed to do the right way. Now with a new season, he’s really got a shot at playing varsity. He says his legs feel like ‘Jell-O,’ but he’s running and jumping for 90 minutes straight.”

“I’m hopeful. This might be the year. My coach wants me to be healthy for the season and play, but not worry about playing time.”

What Demarco’s future holds

However, Demarco says, regardless of how his remaining collegiate career plays out, his injuries have taught him wisdom and pointed the way to his future.

“The journey tells me that I want to be a PT, thanks to Sara and my past injuries. I want to go to PT school and be a therapist to help athletes like myself.

“It would be great to watch my own patients progress through their injuries as I did. Nothing is long-term. Nothing in life will be easy and handed to you. You have to work for what you want.”

And in the stands, Demarco will have a new fan. “We both are Bees,” Sara says proudly. “I’ll be there for his first game, cheering for him now and always.”