'Why give up now?': How Newcastle softball star endured hip injury en route to 4A title

Brooklyn Lyles made a promise to herself four years ago.

Through all the adversity the Newcastle senior faced in her four-year high school fastpitch career, she committed to keep going despite an unlucky injury history.

Lyles has torn her hip labrum four times, dating back to the summer of her freshman year. However, in defiance of the gruesome injury, the 5-foot-10, 135-pound first baseman has continued to swing the bat through pain.

"It's been tough for sure," Lyles said. "There were definitely a handful of times that I wasn't sure I'd be able to play anymore. Luckily, I’m blessed to have a village of people around who support and push me no matter what. I don’t know where I’d be without them."

One of the leaders in Brooklyn’s village is also the head of the Lyles household — her mother, Blythe Lyles, who has played an integral role in her recovery.

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Due to the torn cartilage outside the rim of her hip joint socket, there have been moments during games where officials called an injury timeout after her femur popped out of place. Next, a routine would ensue of her mother coming out onto the field, laying Lyles on her back and forcing her femur back into the socket.

After stretching her hip, she'd stand up and walk over to first base to resume play as if nothing happened.

“I was always worried initially because you don't want to cause more problems,” Brooklyn’s mother Blythe said. “The doctors always assured us that she would be fine to play through it as long as she could take the pain — and I knew she'd find a way to play because that’s how determined she is.”

“She's by far the toughest person I know,” Lyles said. “I remember watching her push through the days where she couldn't walk around the house after surgery, so to see her play through that same injury time and time again has been unbelievable. I think this journey will make her a better person in the long run because she can handle pretty much anything.”

Lyles has played her entire high school fastpitch softball career with the same hip injury on four occasions. She first sustained the injury in the summer before her freshman year — tearing her left hip labrum and playing through discomfort while electing to get surgery following the season.

Although she underwent a successful rehab throughout the offseason, Lyles' injury luck worsened. She would repeat her previous process as a sophomore — this time tearing the labrum in her opposite hip and again deciding to get surgery after the season.

Yet, Lyles remained dominant on the diamond for the Racers. Her assistance helped the Racers finish with a 32-7 record before losing to in the 2021 regional playoffs.

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"Brooklyn doesn't always show a lot of emotion, so most people that watch her play don't even know half of what she's dealing with," Racers head coach Mike Crossley said. "She's an unbelievably tough kid, playing in pain every week while out there making play after play. It really shows how driven she is to be the best she can be — we never have to tell her or make her do anything."

Despite dealing with injuries throughout high school, Lyles is touted as one of Oklahoma's top high school softball players.

In her senior season, she batted .387 without striking out a single time in 138 at-bats. She played a key role throughout Newcastle's Class 4A state title run in early October, batting .667 with three RBIs. Lyles committed to play college softball at the University of Central Oklahoma in July.

"This is a special team we have here," Lyles said. "It was important for us to come together in this run to achieve something we all have strived for since the start of the year. We've fought so hard from July to the state title, so when I took the field in the state title game I was thinking, 'Why give up now?' I'm glad I didn't."

Last week, Lyles traveled to Colorado and underwent a successful fourth surgery to repair the damage to her right hip labrum.

Despite all the injuries and hardship throughout high school, Lyles hopes to put all her injury concerns behind her as she arrives on campus in Edmond next fall.

"Being able to play at UCO is everything I've worked for my whole life," Lyles said. "All of the physical therapy, all of the practices, all the times I've had to miss hanging out with friends for softball — it all paid off. It's just a really good feeling to say I've accomplished my dream of going to play in college."

Jordan Davis covers high school sports for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Jordan? He can be reached at jdavis@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @jdavis34_. Sign up for The Varsity Club newsletter to access more high school coverage. Support Jordan’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.

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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Newcastle softball standout endured hip injury en route to 4A title