CRIVITZ (NBC 26) — For Taryn Tracy, this season is about more than wins and losses. It’s about getting back on the field — and making history while she’s there.
After battling multiple knee injuries that sidelined her for more than a year, the Crivitz senior has returned for one final run, leading a veteran team with its sights set on the program’s first conference championship.
“I’ve spent enough time on the bench,” Tracy said. “This is just my time. The pain’s not going to stop me. I just want to play for my teammates.”
Tracy’s journey back hasn’t been easy. As a sophomore, she was named conference Player of the Year, emerging as one of the top players in the area.
But an ACL tear, followed by two surgeries and another knee injury during basketball season, forced her to miss significant time and brought uncertainty about her future in sports.
“There were definitely moments where you’re sitting there watching and thinking, ‘What if I never do this again?’” Tracy said. “Now that it’s my senior year, I never want to feel that again.”
Her perseverance has stood out to her father and Head Coach, Mike Tracy.
“It seems like one setback after another,” he said. “But the resilience, the mental toughness she has — it’s unbelievable.”
Now healthy enough to contribute, Taryn Tracy returns to a team uniquely positioned for a breakthrough. Crivitz features eight seniors, many of whom also helped the school capture a conference title in basketball this past winter. That shared success — and years of playing together — has built a strong foundation.
“We don’t really call ourselves a team,” Mike Tracy said. “We call ourselves a family.”
That chemistry, paired with experience, has fueled belief inside the program.
For years, Crivitz has come close to a conference title, finishing runner-up multiple times. This season, the Wolverines believe they can finally take the next step.
“It’s been our goal since we started,” Mike Tracy said. “To see them come through their senior year and win it for the school would be awesome.”
For Taryn Tracy, the opportunity carries even more meaning. Not only is it her final high school season, but she’s also sharing it with her father on the sidelines — something she’s done since childhood.
“It’s really special that we get to share that together,” she said. “It’ll be even better if we can accomplish something together.”
Taryn Tracy, who is committed to play college softball at Wisconsin–Stevens Point, said her focus remains on the present and finishing what this group started.
“The job is not done here,” she said. “We know what we’re capable of. We just want to see it come to fruition.”
A conference title would mark a historic moment for the Crivitz Wolverines — and a fitting ending for a senior class determined to leave its mark.
