Injury riddled: How Cotton overcame setbacks to become team captain


Jewel Cotton's battle goes beyond playing on the basketball court and deals with overcoming more than school and life.

Injuries have become a part of what the senior forward on the Central Michigan women's basketball team has had to deal with daily to play the game she loves.

“This year wasn't my first time dealing with an injury, so I know the ropes,” Cotton said. “I’ve had an ACL tear, concussions when I first got (to CMU) and it’s something I’m used to. I use it to encourage my teammates that it is a minor setback for a major comeback.”

Coming back is something Cotton has had to do throughout her career. As a redshirt sophomore, the Harper Woods native's season was cut short due to an ACL tear, forcing her to watch from the sidelines.

Cotton didn't let that get her away from basketball. The 6-foot-2 forward came back to earn the Co-MAC Sixth Player of the year — an award that is given to the conference's best bench player.

She was named CMU's team captain for the current season, which was unanimously selected by her teammates earlier this year.

Then, another scare came earlier this season. On Dec. 9 in CMU’s 73-71 emotional overtime win against Saint Joseph’s, Cotton landed awkwardly on her leg and was clearly in pain.

Cotton had to leave the game with the clear look of concern on her teammates faces. Junior forward Cassie Breen was nervous at the time, but knew their team leader would return.

“It was a scary injury but Jewel is the kind of player who doesn't go down easy,” Breen said. “Luckily it wasn't anything to serious, because she is like everyone else on the team, we all have key roles for our success.” 

Cotton’s timetable for a return wasn't certain at the time, but she ended up having a slight sprain and missed just one game before returning to the court.

While the injury has lingered to effect her game throughout this season, Cotton doesn't think about those injuries in a negative way.

“The injuries over my career have slowed me down in a good way,” Cotton said. “I’m a fast player by nature, so I kind of like to rush through things and speed up my tempo. So I think all of this has allowed me to see I don’t have to be a fast player to be a good one.”

Dealing with past injuries, Cotton was still able to put together a respectable resume in her senior season by earning All-MAC Third Team honors. She averaged 11 points and 6.8 rebounds per game while shooting 58.7 percent from the field — which is good for second in the MAC.

“Obviously I’m not the leading scorer or the leading rebounder by any means,” Cotton said. “I feel like my verbal communication and making sure we are all on the same page. I do believe that more than one person is going to step up next year to fill my shoes.”

Leading the way

Losing to Western Michigan in the MAC Tournament wasn't a part of the plan for the No. 1 overall seeded Chippewas in the quarterfinal round.

CMU was up 63-57 with just 1:20 remaining in the game when they turned the ball over a couple of times and allowed the Broncos to go on a 10-0 run to end the game. The result was a shocking 67-63 loss for CMU.

The unexpected loss wasn't easy for the Chippewas to handle, but Cotton wants to get her team in the right mindset for the Women’s National Invitational Tournament. 

“I can’t express it. Having two wins up on Western (Michigan) already (and) losing to them in the quarterfinals was not a part of the plan,” Cotton said. “It was very shocking and disappointing, but I want to get everyone to use this as motivation for the WNIT. We are just going to take it game by game like we have all season.”

Head coach Sue Guevara said Cotton has been a leader and has set nothing but great examples throughout the entire season.

“Jewel has done this all season long and it’s something she has loved to do throughout her career,” Guevara said. “She’s very good at helping people do what they are suppose to do, and that includes herself a lot of the time. She holds everyone accountable for their actions to make them better.”

Cotton said her coaches have always thought of her as a leader because of what she has went through behind the scenes.

“(The coaches) know I have always held up my end," Cotton said. "Doing rehab, getting treatment, (spending time) in the weight room getting stronger, they see that. They’ve always stayed positive and let me know you can lead off the bench too. You don’t always have to be on the floor doing things to lead and they have constantly reminded me that.”

Having a head coach like Guevara is what Cotton said makes her and her teammates the players they are today. 

“Having a coach like coach G(uevara) is a once in a lifetime because she really cares,” Cotton said of her coach. “In collegiate sports, you really have to trust what your coach tells you and I’ve been able to do that and it’s made me the leader I’ve grown into being. It’s why we all are as close on this team as we are.” 

Going into the WNIT and playing Wright State in the opening round at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Cotton said she wants to see the teams defense be the difference in the game.

“They have some very athletic guards that can shoot and drive, and very athletic post-players, so we want to take away the penetration and tighten up on their 3-point shooters and make them hesitate so it slows them down because they like to play fast. They also are really great rebounder's so we have to crash the glass hard too, we just have to stay strong the whole game.”

Knowing that any game could be her last, Cotton wants to leave knowing "what CMU basketball is all about," and what she has had to go through to get where she is today.

“I just want this program to remain positive, and when I say that I mean our teammates. I want us to lead on and off the court,” Cotton said. “I’ve definitely experienced some tough times here as far as academics. I’m the one who had to wake up at 6 a.m. and push plates across the football field. 

“I really have had to endure some things here, but I think that has made me stronger and I want everyone to value what we learn here at CMU.”

Share: