"All Shook Up"

This article was written for an assignment in my magazine writing class. However, since I feel stories shouldn't go to waste, I will post the graded versions of this and a profile of Theairra Taylor to the site. The articles will appear in a different font than my regular posts.

Photo: Boler suited up during her playing days at Bloomington-Kennedy.

Shakila Boler is on the fast track to help her new team do big things this year, but her team will have to wait a while.

Shakila Boler is hoping to make history this season, but it has nothing to do with performance yet.

The Minneapolis Roosevelt guard tore her ACL and MCL this summer, an injury that normally forces players to sit out a year to heal. Boler is going through an intense rehab program to buck that trend.

"Doctors are saying that she will be ready in January to start playing," says coach Tim Williams. "She's way ahead of schedule."

Boler averaged 16.2 points per game last year with former school Bloomington-Kennedy. Although she will miss the first half of this season, Boler will add experience and shooting skills to a strengthening Roosevelt team.

With or without her, Williams says his team is ready to take on the toughest foe in the Minneapolis City Conference.

"We will be a great team and compete for the conference championship with South," he says.

When Boler returns to the court, Williams will look to shake up South's dominance in the conference and bring his team to the class AA state tournament, something he has never done as coach.

"With her, we will have four solid guards that could start on any team all on one team, and that means serious matchup problems for opponents," Williams says.