The Cal commit has bounced back strong after foot surgery a year ago.
Injuries are an unfortunate part of basketball, and in the blink of an eye it can all be taken away. For Cailyn Crocker, she didn’t know if she would ever be back to her old self.
During the summer of 2017, she had transferred from Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos, CA, to Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, CA. That summer, she suffered a foot injury while attending tryouts for Team USA’s U16 team in Colorado. The injury required surgery and put her out of action for nine months.
“It’s probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life. Definitely at the beginning if you asked me, it wasn’t good,” Crocker told High Post Hoops. “Coming back after nine months of not playing at all, and trying to play in the EYBL, it was tough, it was not easy. Last season I came back for playoffs actually and I was not myself.”
She was already an established player at Los Alamitos and had drawn Division 1 interest. But when she first took the court for Mater Dei, she was far from full strength. She kept it inside for a long time until finally opening up to those closest to her.
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She’s since been able to make a strong recovery and reclaim her place as one of Southern California’s best guards. After going through that whole ordeal, she’s grateful for every moment she sets foot on a basketball court.
“It was very frustrating mentally for me to figure out how to really be myself, it took a toll on me. But with my teammates, my family, I finally had to just open up and tell them what was going on with me,” Crocker said. “I figured it out and I got to it and now I’m having the best time of my life. That has definitely changed my perspective with the surgery and coming back. Every time I step on the court, I’m there for a reason.”
This season, she’s helped lead Mater Dei to a 27-4 record. Although they fell short in the first round of the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Southern Section Open Division playoffs against powerhouse Windward, they will await seeding in the CA state playoffs.
It’s going to be a big home stretch for Crocker as she finishes up her senior year and prepares to head off to the University of California, Berkeley where she will suit up for the Golden Bears under head coach Lindsay Gottlieb. According to Gottlieb, it was during a workout a few years ago between several top Los Angeles area players including Crocker that really caught her eye.
“It was her moxie, the way she carried herself on the court,” Gottlieb told High Post Hoops in a phone interview. “With young kids, you ask yourself what they’re going to be like with other high level players. Cailyn had a great skill set then, she could shoot, pass, drive, and play and in the pick and roll.”
Next season, the Bears are going to be losing a few of their top guards. Senior Asha Thomas is set to graduate as is graduate transfer Recee Caldwell. Both have been instrumental this season in Cal maintaining their status as one of the better teams in the Pac-12 Conference.
Their departures will leave big shoes to fill, but it would also seem to open up some opportunity for Crocker to perhaps be able to contribute right away as a freshman. In addition to her talent on the court, she’s been a tremendous leader for Mater Dei, something that Gottlieb believes is key to making the jump to college basketball.
“I know she’ll make an impact. In terms of minutes and stats, that’s something no one can say for sure. But she has a chance to make an impact as a leader,” Gottlieb said. “That’s a skill that’s not always talked about, how you adjust to the next level, that’s just as important as bringing on the court skill to campus. She has an opportunity for that to translate right away.”
Crocker committed to Cal this past October, ending a few years of courtship that began while Crocker was still in middle school. It was that belief in her that really helped her pick the Bears. That firm commitment that never wavered despite the initial uncertainty surrounding her injury.
“Definitely just the coaches and the playing style and the education that’s there. It’s just an amazing opportunity for me and I’m just thankful and blessed that they were able to recruit me and be with me through everything,” Crocker said. “They wanted me since eighth grade. They never wavered through my surgery or anything, they just kept going and kept sticking with me. I believe in them just as much as they believe in me.”
While the door is open for her to step in and contribute from day one, Gottlieb is looking forward to seeing the type of player she’ll eventually become as she works her way up and gets seasoned to the college game.
“She’s a strong point guard, she excels in the midrange game, she gets to the rim, she’s really a complete point guard,” Gottlieb said. “We want her to be a steady force in the backcourt, we see her as a big piece of the future.”
In terms of what Crocker believes she can bring to the Bears next season, she’s just hoping she can pick up as much as she can from the older players. The on court contributions will eventually come, and just learning the ins and outs of the next level can be just as important.
“I hope I can definitely learn. Learning is a huge thing, just trying to be a sponge and do what I can to help us continue to win,” Crocker said. “They’re having a great season this year and I think I can just be another guard there and be another person to score, to assist, to do whatever they need for me to do when I get there. I’m really excited and I think it would be a great fit for me.”
For now though, Crocker remains focused on the final stretch of what’s been a great high school career.
“It’s been a long journey, a lot of ups and downs, but I wouldn’t change anything that happened,” Crocker said. “To be on the team right now, to be on Mater Dei, my teammates are so amazing and I just love them so much. It’s been such a great senior season and I wouldn’t change it for the world.”