(Note: After this story was published junior Trevor Greenfield fell during the finals of the 110 hurdles on April 12, ending his track career for this season. He was the top seed in the 300 hurdles finals but never got to compete.)

The last time junior Trevor Greenfield had a chance at a district championship in track was when he took the 300 hurdles championship in eighth grade.

Since then he has spent his district track meets on the injured or recovering list.

Doctors said he might compete again after he had a tibial plateau fracture during a basketball game in Hobbs his freshman year.

“I remember the instant pain and confusion,” Greenfield said. “I was wondering if I would ever be able to run again.”

His mother, special education teacher Cheryl Greenfield, said she remembers the accident because she was right there when it happened. She said the hardest thing for a mother to see is her child in pain.

“I saw it happen; I saw the fracture,” Mrs. Greenfield said. “When you have the break like that, I can understand the sound he made.”

Mrs. Greenfield said she was grateful that Trevor’s father, SISD Director of Operations Jesse Greenfield, was there because he had been an athletic trainer and knew what to do.

“As a mother I was like ‘oh no’ when it happened,” Mrs. Greenfield said. “I remember Trevor in the back of the car on the way to the hospital, and he started to cry. I asked ‘why?’ and he said ‘I can’t run track anymore’.”

Trevor had surgery, and the doctors placed a screw above and below the break to reattach it.

“At first, the doctors were skeptical about me running track,” Trevor said. “The doctor said I probably shouldn’t, and he didn’t recommend sports again.”

When Trevor first got the prognosis, he said it hurt.

“I would have missed the thing I loved,” Trevor said. “I didn’t think I would run again because I thought my injury was too serious.”

Mrs. Greenfield said the thought that Trevor wouldn’t run again hurt her so much because she knew how talented he is.

“When you know their potential, and you have seen it, and then their not being able to achieve it is hard,” Mrs. Greenfield said. “Having to refocus your goals is the hard part.”

Trevor’s prognosis changed in January of his sophomore year after the doctors saw how much progress he had made.

“I never did feel like giving up,” Trevor said. “I wanted to prove the doctors wrong.”

Mrs. Greenfield said Trevor was injured in the prelims at district last year, and his chances of running hurdles this year looked slim.

“He rehabbed his leg, and there was a lot of prayer,” Mrs. Greenfield said. “He put some hurdles out and went over them and said ‘Whoa, that felt good,’. He tumbled twice, but he just said ‘I can do this because there was no pain and no blood’.”

Trevor said he didn’t really have a fear of falling but at first, the fear of re-injuring his leg was there.,

“At first I was scared,” Trevor said. “Now that it’s fine, it doesn’t scare me anymore.”

Mrs. Greenfield said that Trevor has always wanted his name up on the field house record wall next to his sister, Leah.

On April 5, at the home meet, Trevor got his wish, running a new school record time of 39.6 seconds in the 300-meter hurdles to win the event.

“It feels good to know that I could meet the expectation that my sister made for me,” Trevor said. “I love hurdles. Ever since my sister ran them, I thought I would have to compete against her. It is kind of a competition between her and me.”

Family and friends gave Trevor the determination to run again.

“[Junior Anthony] Sharko and I always talk before a race and he always goes to the starting line with me,” Trevor said. “It’s like a tradition.”

Trevor has gained more flexibility because of the accident, and that has helped him in getting over the hurdles with more ease.

“It feels like I can just glide over them,” Trevor said. “I sort of feel like I’m flying.”

Trevor said that this experience has made him stronger, and he doesn’t give up easily anymore.

“I think God has given me this talent to show people to not give up,” Trevor said. “You can still chase your dreams even if you have been set back. Never give up on what you love.”