Hickory Ridge's Yeager brings spirit to her team

Hickory Ridge's Ally Yeager jumped up, snagged an offensive rebound and put the ball back up against the backboard for two points in the second quarter of the Ragin' Bulls loss to Concord last week.

When she's playing, it's easy to forget that she only has one hand.

Yeager, 15, was born without a left hand, with her arm extending down to her wrist. But that hasn't stopped her from being a talented two-sport athlete in high school.

Yeager started playing basketball when she was 7 years old. She said she always wanted to play sports like her two older brothers, Andrew, 22, and Brian, 18. Her parents, Lorrane and Richard, encouraged her to play.

The sophomore forward used to play soccer but now just plays basketball and softball. She knows that it would probably be easier for her to play soccer, but she likes proving herself in other sports.

"(I enjoy) the challenge of trying it and pushing myself to succeed," said Yeager.

Hickory Ridge coach Jessica Kulp had heard about Yeager in middle school and knew that she was a good athlete but wasn't sure what to expect when she came out for the junior varsity team last year.

"I was a little curious about how the whole thing was going to work," said Kulp.

It ended up working well, with Yeager leading the team in points and rebounding, according to Kulp.

After just one year, Yeager moved up to the varsity team, where she is averaging 2.5 points and rebounds per game while shooting 41 percent from the floor. The team is off to a strong start this year at 5-2 in the conference with their only two losses coming to Concord and Jay M. Robinson, the top two teams in the South Piedmont.

Yeager started the season coming off the bench, but an injury to Jordan Strode earlier this month moved her into the starting lineup.

Despite her athleticism, playing with one hand has its disadvantages.

"It's pretty difficult when teams force me to the left side," said Yeager. She adds that she has been working on dribbling with her left arm and doing left-handed layups.

"I favor my right side a lot," she said with a smile.

Kulp said it's that positive and light-hearted attitude that makes Yeager so important to the team.

"She's got a great personality," said Kulp. "That's who they (the team) look to pick them up a little bit."

Yeager said that she does hear taunts and comments from opposing teams, but she doesn't let them bother her.

"When I was little it used to bother me a lot," she said. "I've learned to ignore them and just show them what I can do."

Her teammates, however, are constantly supporting her and cheering her on.

In the spring, Yeager also plays on the Ragin' Bull softball team. Last year she was named all-conference. She also plays for a U-18 Elite team, the Lady Blues.

As impressed as Kulp is with how Yeager plays basketball, she's even more impressed about how she can play softball. Yeager said that she tucks the glove under her left arm when she needs to throw, a move that her mother helped her perfect in the backyard when she was younger.

"We'd throw wiffleball in the yard, and if I didn't switch the glove in time, I'd get hit with it," said Yeager.