She sprints onto first base, her bright blue eyes fixated on the next throw. Her teammates surround her cheering as she takes on the championship game. All the pressure is on her and all at stake lies on her next move. 

Her name is Haylee Majer, and she is a sophomore at West Chicago Community High School. Her natural integrity and determination have helped Majer formulate a mark at this school,  although doing so was not easy for her, due to an injury that cost her an entire volleyball and softball season. 

“I had previous injuries from gymnastics that went undetected. And then during a game, I slid really bad and I landed on my kneecap. And then basically, my cartilage just broke off. I played on it all summer, and it got worse. And then it just started to, like, float around in my knee. So it affected me, because obviously, I had this world that I love taken away,” Majer said.

Her specific injuries involved osteochondritis dissecan, a joint disorder affecting the bones and cartilage, as well as lesion, which is when the organs or tissue endure damage. Majer was also one of the 5% of people with “OCD” in her knee. 

Since July, Majer has focused on healing, but doing so meant missing the fall volleyball season.

“It’s been forever. And it’s really hard to not push myself to the fullest to get back into it because I know I’m gonna get hurt again if I do. So the discipline is extremely difficult,” Majer said.

Recovery has been aided by the support system around her, though Majer describes the process as a difficult mental battle to overcome, as well as a physical one. It was hard for her because she could not do what she loved, and staying positive about it was not always easy. 

“I definitely had the right people with me. My parents were very supportive, and my friends were there for me,” Majer said. 

The greatest inspiration for her, during the time she was injured, was her boyfriend, who encouraged Majer to push herself. His compassion for others and love for sports reflected onto Majer, and made her stronger during her injury. 

“Eli is someone that will push you to your limits when it comes to doing something you think you can’t. He’s very encouraging and a great athlete. He’s always looking out for me,” Majer said. 

Coincidentally, Majer’s boyfriend, Eli Tate, also emphasized her dedication and her ability to bring out the best in others. She has shaped him into an even better person just through her acts of loyalty and telling him words of affirmation for encouragement. 

“Haylee pushes me to excel in everything, she makes me want to be a better person and pushed me in my athletics and everything I do. She supports me through everything and she’s always there for me. She makes me a better man just by being her,” Tate said. 

Majer’s main passion is for softball: she loves the quickness of the sport and has been playing since she was young. 

“I love the game, I love the work ethic,” Majer said. 

Majer earned a spot on the Varsity team at West Chicago Community High School her freshman year, and describes the experience as nerve-wracking. 

“Playing with upperclassmen was just different. I’m playing against 18-year-olds when I’m 14 or 15,” Majer said. 

Before her injury, Majer wished she had told herself to take care of her body. She was always told to push through the pain back when she was a gymnast, so that is what she did. 

“With gymnastics, we were always told if you can still move it, it’s okay. That’s the mentality,” Majer said. 

Now, she has almost fully recovered from her injury, and is standing stronger than ever before. 

“One of the things that keeps me motivated is getting back to where I was,” Majer said. 

Not only is Majer a natural athlete, but she also excels in academics and strives to be on top of her schoolwork. She is in all honors and AP classes and has maintained a 5.4 weighted GPA and a 4.9 unweighted. Despite her injury taking a large toll on her mental health, she never fell behind and kept on top of her studies. 

“Haylee’s best quality is that she is terribly honest with herself and me about her work. She prioritizes getting schoolwork done so she can get other things done. But if she skipped it, forgot it, whatever, Haylee’s open about it,” Algebra 2 teacher Aaron Hayes said. 

Moving forward, the sky is the limit for Majer. She is looking forward to the upcoming softball season, and bring back on a team. 

“[She is] a smart girl with so much talent in so many different areas, who is for sure going far in life. She’s not only a role model to me but those around her,” long-time friend Delaney Nelson said. 

If anyone is bound to succeed, it is Majer: 

“This is a long shot, but the Olympics are in 2028. So we’ll see,” Majer said.