KANSAS, Ohio — Lakota High School senior Carlie Foos' basketball career will go down in history for multiple reasons, most notably because she's overcome severe scoliosis to become a star on the court.
"Obviously it was hard," Foos said. "I've been playing sports for as long as I can remember so it was very emotional for me for sure."
Before she became a Lakota High School Raider, Foos' career was nearly ended by the curvature of her thoracic and lumbar spine.
"I was diagnosed when I was eight and then went through five years of wearing back braces to help correct it and prevent it from getting worse," she said. "At 13, doctors told me it got so bad that I needed surgery."
Following the surgery, basic actions were difficult, Foos' mother, Erin, said.
"She couldn't do anything for six months, nothing heavier than a dinner plate," Erin said. "For someone who is very active like herself, it was very hard for her."
Erin Foos also serves as the head coach for the Lakota Girls' Basketball team. Despite her daughter being sidelined, she saw the determination in Carlie that pushed her forward.
"She has two metal rods that are about 18 inches and 16 screws," Erin said. "She's fused from T2 to L2, which is pretty much your entire spine."
Although she missed the rest of seventh-grade athletics in the spring of 2018, Foos overcame the challenge of recovery and eventually returned to action in the fall of her eighth-grade year.
"Just me being determined and persevering through all the difficulties I've had in my life," Carlie Foos said. "When I underwent that surgery, I didn't know if I was ever going to play sports again."
Fast forward five years to 2023, and Foos stood one shot away from Raider immortality. In the third quarter of her final home game last week against Old Fort, a pump fake from the three-point line allowed Foos to create some space and sink a mid-range jumper to reach 1,000 career points, becoming the second player in program history to accomplish the feat.
"I was really proud of myself because that's a goal I've had since my freshman year," Foos said.
Despite some occasional nerve pain in her back, Foos is as healthy as she's ever been. She's preparing for one final postseason run with her team and leading by example in every possible way.
"She's an inspiration for sure. I had no doubt," Erin said. "Obviously, being her mom, I knew she was a determined person from an early age. She had to overcome a lot and I'm extremely proud of her as a coach and most of all a mother."
During her senior campaign, Foos helped guide Lakota to an SBC River Division Championship and also earned Division IV District 6 Player of the Year.
"Looking back on it, it's definitely inspired many people," Foos said. "My message is to persevere and put your mind to anything you want to do."
Upon graduation, she plans to attend the University of Findlay and pursue a degree in Exercise Science with the goal of a career in Orthopedics.