TSSAA Spring Fling: Injury doesn't deter Harding Academy track standout Ty Kimberlin

Harding Academy track and field coach Seth King was forced to walk a fine line when he heard that one of his stars, senior all-arounder Ty Kimberlin, would attempt to make a comeback this spring after labrum surgery.

On the one hand, King would gladly take anything Kimberlin could give to the team. But on the other, he certainly wasn't going to encourage anything that would jeopardize Kimberlin's health — or his scholarship to Samford.

Eventually though, King saw something that calmed his fears.

"I think it was at MUS," he said. "You know that jump they do before the start of race (jumping straight up and bringing the knees up towards the chest)? Well, he did that and his hips were as high as anyone else's head.

"I know then the explosiveness was back."

Kimberlin was indeed back at last week's Spring Fling, winning Division II-A state championships in both the long jump (21-9.25) and the triple jump (44-0) while finishing second in the 400 and sixth in the high jump. And if that wasn't enough, he took second in the decathlon the week before Spring Fling.

By himself, Kimberlin produced 39 vital points for the Lions as they captured the team championship last week.

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Impressive by any standard to be sure. But considering that Kimberlin was basically competing with one arm following his surgery in February, it goes beyond impressive and into the realm of inspirational.

"Some of the coaches (from other schools) came up (during the decathlon) and said they were impressed that I had the heart to do this," Kimberlin said. "To know you're not going do to well in some of your better events but still going out to compete ... they said it was impressive."

Kimberlin initially injured his labrum in his junior year and aggravated during summer football. Scans couldn't show exactly what the problem was though and he played quarterback for the Lions in 2017. That is, until he hurt it in the last game of the year, a playoff loss to Battle Ground Academy.

"Everything had been fine all season," he said. "I hit a guy and dislocated it really badly and I was like 'oh crap. It happened again.'"

MRIs still couldn't identify the problem and when Kimberlin hurt himself yet again stretching before an indoor meet in January, the mystery was finally solved. He had a HAGL (humeral avulsion glenohumeral ligament) tear and surgery was the only way.

That meant no spring track for Harding. No chance to meet the personal goals he had set for himself or improve on his marks that would allow Samford to offer him more scholarship money. 

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But there was also no packing it in.

"He's a very quiet kid but he's also very goal-oriented," said Kimberlin's dad Brad. "So he was down. But we know that maybe there was a chance he could run (at state)."

The region champ in the 400, Kimberlin could plausibly compete in that event even while wearing a brace that limited his range of motion. Jumping wouldn't be easy either but doable. But how about the decathlon — the throws, the pole vault?

Well, he still had a left hand.

"I was discouraged but I got to a point where I was like, 'I've got to make the most of this,'" he said. "This time, you could tell the difference in my shoulder and how much weaker it is. I was kind of cleared to compete ... (and) at the region I one-handed pole-vaulted and cleared 7-6. That's not good but I impressed myself.

"Then at state I wanted to get second (in the decathlon) and nine-foot was the goal. I couldn't do that one-handed. But I had enough motion with the brace on (to use his left hand just enough). It looked ugly but I ended up clearing nine feet.

"There's just something about track I love. It's so much on yourself to determine how well you do. I'm the kind of competitor that my last jump will be my best."

Kimberlin needs also needs two good hands for his other passion, pottery. He took a basic class early in his high school career, fell in love with the art and eventually bought his own wheel and other equipment. You can buy his works at his booth in the Random Thoughts Old Towne Vintage Mall in Olive Branch.

"Bowls, cups, mugs, vases," he said. "After the surgery I had my shoulder in a sling and I was working one-handed there too. I love it. Mentally, it's kind of a soothing thing."

Reach John Varlas at john.varlas@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @johnvarlas.