LA CROSSE — Despite his status as a sophomore, Logan High School’s Tommy Check has established himself as one of the Coulee Region’s top athletes with his performances in football, basketball and baseball.
But an injury will put him on the shelf for 8-10 weeks, which means he will miss the remainder of the basketball season and most of the baseball season even if rehabilitation goes well.
Check broke his left ankle while going through a bunt drill during a workout with his teammates at the GRB Academy on Saturday night. The injury occurred when a runner from third base slid into Check, who was at home plate as the catcher.
The workout was at the team’s facility in Sun Prairie, and Check had successful surgery Tuesday morning. The next four weeks will be non-weight bearing followed by several weeks of rehabilitation.
Eric Check, Tommy’s dad and the Logan boys basketball coach, said the timing provides for a return to the Rangers in May if everything goes to plan.
“His passion and path is baseball,” Eric said of Tommy, who is also Logan’s quarterback and point guard. “In the world of college baseball, the summer before your junior year is a big one, and the travel tournaments and showcases will be heavy in June and July.
“But I really do think he will be back in spring.”
Check batted .352 with 30 runs scored, 17 walks and 13 stolen bases as Logan’s leadoff hitter last season.
He then rushed for 1,018 yards and 16 touchdowns and passed for 783 yards and four TDs during football season and was a reliable double-figure scorer during basketball season.
“The good news from the surgeon was that (surgery) was pretty straightforward,” Eric said. “There were no surprises, and what they saw on the X-Rays is what it was. Ligaments and tendons were all fine.”
