Media release from Atrium Health Floyd:
Darlington High School senior Presley Dixon, a multi-sport athlete and all-region basketball honoree, will be back on the courts in the annual Rome Seven Hills Rotary Christmas Tournament this week after a year-long absence following a devastating injury at last year’s tournament.
Presley made a fast break in the first game of the 2024 tournament and stopped short to take a shot at the basket.
“She went up one way, and her knee did not,” said her dad, Chad Dixon.
“The injury to her knee happened suddenly, and it was a significant one,” said Donny Brown, the Atrium Health Floyd athletic trainer who works with Darlington students.
A trip to the Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center Emergency Care Center confirmed Donny’s suspicions. Presley had torn both her MCL and her ACL, a particularly frustrating injury for an athlete. Her doctor recommended she let the MCL heal before repairing the damaged ACL — ending Presley’s basketball and track seasons.
It wasn’t the news they wanted to hear, but Presley and her parents trusted Donny and her physicians.
“When something like this happens and you have people like Donny in your corner, it’s important. We trust Donny’s word. He sees these all the time. He’s been through it,” Chad said, adding that Donny was a constant presence throughout Presley’s journey. “Even at surgery Donny was there. He was in the waiting room that morning when Presley went in.
“He sees how athletes can struggle. Especially when you’re looking toward your senior year and trying to get looked at for college. He has really been a big help.”
Part of that help is his work behind the scenes to match Presley with a physical therapist for the grueling road to recovery. Donny recommended Darius McAphee, a specialist in orthopedics and someone who would help Presley get the most out of her therapy.
Together, Donny and Darius became Team Presley.
“They were always communicating and texting. They were always on top of it, and they were always available — even after hours. I don’t know what we would do without them. This whole process — how they have supported us and kind of kept us ahead, knowing what to expect next — has been great,” Chad said.
Their admiration is mutual.
“Presley is a spirited young lady,” Donny said. “She has attacked her PT just as she does her schoolwork and sports.
“The rehab and return-to-sport process is often complex and riddled with both physical and emotional hurdles. Presley has been dedicated. She has worked really hard with Darius, but also on her own outside formal rehab time to be ready to return to her sport this upcoming basketball season.”
Darius, Chad said, emphasized that Presley would need to be both physically and mentally prepared to return to the court.
“Darius, Donny and Jessica Mohler, Presley’s physical therapy assistant, put a great emphasis on her mental health,” Chad said.
And now, with her mental and physical health court-ready, Presley is returning — just in time to share the court with her younger sister, Kendall, and to start training for the triple jump for track and field season, her dad said.
Atrium Health Floyd is the Official Healthcare Partner of Darlington School, Chattooga County Schools, Floyd County Schools, Polk County Schools, Rome City Schools and Trion City Schools. Atrium Health Floyd has invested in numerous school health programs to benefit area students, including school nurses, certified athletic trainers, telehealth services at 47 school sites, teletherapy services, physicals for student athletes, emergency medical services at sporting events and career education support.
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