Jessa Norby overcomes major surgery to compete in Minnesota state track meet

The Minnesota state track meet is taking place at St. Michael-Albertville High School. Athletes have worked hard to get there, but perhaps no one has worked harder than Montevideo senior Jessa Norby.

"I was pretty bummed because my volleyball season got cut short and I couldn't play basketball," said Jessa Norby. 

No student-athlete wants to begin their senior year by having intense hip surgery, but that's exactly what happened. 

"She had been having pain all through high school playing sports and we were trying all kinds of things trying to figure out what was going on," said mom Chanda Norby. 

It turns out Jessa Norby had hip dysplasia. In September, doctors surgically repaired her hip socket and a torn labrum, but told her recovery would likely take a year. That meant no sports for this senior standout. 

"I remember when she first returned after surgery, she walked into my calculus class. She came in on crutches and she could hardly move," said Dave Schimming, co-head coach of Montevideo's track team. "And I thought, well, we probably aren't going to see her in the spring."

But Jessa Norby never gave up. She rehabbed every single day and by spring, she was able to dump the crutches for running spikes. It was a painful start to the track season, but things slowly got better. 

"Just where I am today, it's incredible," said Jessa Norby. 

For the section meet, Jessa Norby was the anchor on Montevideo's 200-meter relay team. When she came around the final curve, she was about 10 meters behind. But then the will to win, kicked in. 

"I thought oh my gosh, she might do this! And then she crossed the finish line, and we weren't quite sure right away because it was so close," said Chanda Norby. 

A last-second lean made all the difference, sending her relay team to state with a school record in hand. 

"We all just rejoiced. We were hugging. We were crying. It was amazing to be honest," said Jessa Norby. 

"I had tears in my eyes because I was so happy for her because I knew what she had been through," said Schimming. 

And in so many ways, this senior's race was much longer than 200 meters. It's an unlikely journey from serious injury to state qualifier. 

For Jessa Norby, it's not just about the thrill of making it to state with her relay team. It's also about inspiring other teenagers who are going through their own adversity.

"If you can just stay strong and trust yourself, trust your process and trust your doctor, all of that you are going to make it through and you are going to come out better than ever," said Jessa Norby.