Some local athletes have taken the saying, “break a leg,” to a whole new level.

A Mandan wrestler kept going after unknowingly breaking her leg.

Summer Fike, part of the unsanctioned girls wrestling team, ended up having to sit on the sidelines after fracturing her leg during practice.

“I was like wow because it didn’t even seem like broken because I could walk on it.
I look at it as more of an achievement to push myself.
Trying something new.
I’m actually not afraid of getting hurt too much,” said Fike.

“All of a sudden one day she came with some x-rays and a knee brace and some crutches and said her leg was broken. I said that’s pretty dang tough if you made it through a few weeks of practice,” said Tyler Steinwand, Head Wrestling Coach, Mandan.

After waiting weeks to get back in the game, Fike was able to join her team and didn’t miss a beat.
Her teammates tell us her perseverance is inspiring.

“I was feeling really bad for her because I know how much she loves the sport, and I wanted her to keep wrestling. When I saw her come back from her injury and not have any practice, I was really shocked,” said fellow wrestler, Diane Aranda.

Last month, Fike went on to place first in a statewide tournament in Fargo.

“The girls were encouraging me to wrestle, so kind of just went for it.
I didn’t expect to place or anything,” said Fike.

Girls wrestling has yet to become a sanctioned sport in the area.

Fike says she hopes to see it happen and plans to one day wrestle at the college level.