Ava Jones Medically Retired on June 7, 2024. Plus Other Updates on Her & Her Family
- Thread starter Franisdaman
- Start date
This needs to stop being a topic of conversation. Ava WILL be on scholarship as long as she is at Iowa. Coach Bluder has said this many many many times. Coach Bluder has also said many many many times that she doesn't like to have 15 players on the active roster, because it is just very difficult to keep everyone happy.
That should just about close the book on this topic. Coach Bluder wants Ava on the team and Coach Bluder doesn't care if she doesn't have 15 players healthy.
Of course Ava will be on scholarship and a part of the team as long as she wants to be. However, it may be an academic scholarship not an athletic scholarship. Nothing wrong with that. And if it turns out that she recovers enough to play, all the better.
There is absolutely zero chance in hell that Bluder will ever...EVER...ask Ava Jones to give up her roster spot so that she can land a recruit. Zero. Totally zero.
If and when Ava decides to medically retire, it will entirely be her own decision.
Your comments are so gross and they reflect very poorly on all Hawkeye fans.
Good Lord. Pull the stick out of your ASS! "Gross"? What reflects poorly, is you coming on here and acting like you have any freakin idea what Bluder will do. Ridiculous. We'd would all LOVE a storybook ending to this tragic tale, but that doesn't mean thats whats going to happen. I hope she makes a 100% recovery, and becomes an All conference player, (as I've stated 20 freakin times on here), but its certainly possible that the DOCTORS tell her and Bluder sometime in the future that she'll never be 100% at least not to play D1 basketball. If that were to happen and she was to go on a medical, and continue to be part of the team, AND get a free college education, then I'd call that making the absolute best out of a horrible situation. Whether you like it or not, (or believe it or not) players get hurt all the time, and some of them NEVER come back. This young lady has basically had 5 or 6 major injuries all rolled into one horrible accident, and we're a year and a half in, and she's still having corrective surgeries. There's no doubt that being part of the team, (which she will ALWAYS be), has been great medicine for both Ava, and the players and staff. That doesn't change the fact, that IF, (and i'll say again I hope it never come down to this) the doctors said she won't be able to participate at that level, how is her going on a medical, and remaining part of the team. a such a horrible thing?
In that worse case scenario, she'd be on a medical waver, not an academic one, and she would not be able to return should she make a miraculous recovery.
It’s not a horrible thing. It seems like the most likely outcome. But Bluder will never be the one to take that dream from her. That’s all I’m saying and that’s all I know.
The girl lost her entire world in an instant — her life is upside down. She may never recover fully. Bluder is not going to take away her dream if she wants it. It’s really that simple.
Heart is in the right place.
When the time comes make the best decision for Ava. Reality is that having 15 scholarship players that need to be on the court at one time is not the best thing.
I really want things to develop in her life where she does become a real contributor on the team. Ya can't teach someone to be 6 foot 2.
My only concern is keyboard warriors putting to much pressure on her...either way. Give it time...let's see what happens.
From Bluder's past statements she believes Ava will most likely never play again. I agree that this year is for Ava to allow her to come to the realization on her own that she will never play basketball competitively again. But Bluder will show her how she can be a part of the team and mentor her into a role as a student coach. We know Bluder has had success with developing player coaches (Reynolds/Davis) who were injured. I do believe Ava will take a medical after the season but remain with the team as a manager of sort and continue to learn from the coaching staff.
A well reasoned post Gabe. I really do hope the best for Ava, whatever that is at this point. I've heard the same comments from coach Bluder as well, and I'd agree she wants to let Ava have the chance to come to this on her own time. She'll always be a part of the team in some fashion.
Yes we do know exactly what Bluder will do, because Bluder has stated many many many many times that she will never take Ava off scholarship. Again, she is on record many times saying this.
And there is a HUGE difference between an athletic scholarship and an academic scholarship. Students on an athletic scholarship have many extra benefits such as free tutoring, free boarding, free meal plans at numerous locations around campus, and free Nike basketball gear just to name a few.
I'm just not understanding why so many people are obsessed with this 1 scholarship. UConn routinely has less than 15 players. (they have 14 this season and last season had 13). Many top programs around the country don't use all 15 scholarships for the very reason Coach Bluder has talked about. It's tough to keep 15 players happy when most top teams play 7-8 players in their rotations.
Ok? Can we finally drop this? It a topic that has been covered by the actual people involved. Lets move on and see if we can figure out if we can land some of our top recruits for the 2025, 2026, 2027 classes.
This. Lisa wanting less than 15 players has been how she has operated for many years. I'm sure everything will work out just fine over the next several years.
I think I know how this plays out...
At some point down the road, Ava will suit up for a game.
Bluder will arrange with the officials and an opposing HC to call a technical foul on said HC. Ava will come off the bench and shoot the FTs.
Of course, if there's some rule that the shooter must already be on the court, that won't work.
So Plan B...an Iowa player fakes an injury after a hard foul.and can't continue. Ava enters and shoots FTs and then subs back out.
At some point down the road, Ava will suit up for a game.
Bluder will arrange with the officials and an opposing HC to call a technical foul on said HC. Ava will come off the bench and shoot the FTs.
Of course, if there's some rule that the shooter must already be on the court, that won't work.
So Plan B...an Iowa player fakes an injury after a hard foul.and can't continue. Ava enters and shoots FTs and then subs back out.
I believe that Ava will play on her Senior day. And the crowd noise will be deafening.
I don't know if either scenario is likely, but it would not surprise me at all if Ava ended up on a Hawkeye stat sheet in some capacity.
Careful. No more posts about this, because Frankburns says so! Ooohhh...And for the record there Frank, do show where Lisa said several times that she would stay on an ATHLETIC scholarship? Do tell. Certainly she will be on A scholarship, but your making shit up saying she ever said that specifically, and that it would never be a medical. I'll wait for your post.....
She's on scholarship and Lisa has said she will be. That's enough for me. Sorry that's not enough for you.
I’m glad she’s having fun and has established good relationships with teammates and others in the Hawkeye family.
Good for her. Should help her connect with Hawk fans. Kate is Great! What a tremendous team leader. Ava, my wife and I are behind you 100%, keep it going.
Feel very sad for the girl. Does she practice at all with the team? Shoot around things like that?
This was posted by Amy Jones (the mom) on Jan 8.
Ava and her grandma got in a few games of Speed while she waited to go into the operating room this morning. I’ve lost track of the number of surgeries she’s had, but if all goes well, this eye surgery to tighten her tendons and eliminate her double vision, hopefully will be the last accident-related surgery she has.
Ava and her grandma got in a few games of Speed while she waited to go into the operating room this morning. I’ve lost track of the number of surgeries she’s had, but if all goes well, this eye surgery to tighten her tendons and eliminate her double vision, hopefully will be the last accident-related surgery she has.
That would be far too dangerous. She is not even able to sit courtside at games b/c of the risk of a stray ball or player.
Just so sad yet so great. Obviously she’s “not herself” but I have no doubt that given the quality women Lisa’s staff brings in, she is treated exactly like every other teammate.
It’s great that she’s doing stuff like this and connecting with people. Continuing best wishes for her and everyone around her. Hopefully her life can get back to as normal as possible.
It’s great that she’s doing stuff like this and connecting with people. Continuing best wishes for her and everyone around her. Hopefully her life can get back to as normal as possible.
It's bullshit that people have to go through things such as this based on an outsiders actions or lack of self-accountability. Such is life I guess but I'm glad she's remaining optimistic when so much has been taken from her. I hope good things happen for her going forward because it absolutely sucks seeing someone's dreams taken away from them so visibly and we're witnessing this first hand vicariously through Ava. Hope she can continue to find peace going forward.
I was happy with her blog. Didn't think she was doing this well. Here is some info I found FYI:
Medical Exemption: A Medical Exemption is a failsafe for athletes who have career-ending injuries and can no longer participate at all in collegiate athletics. A Medical Exemption allows the AD to continue to pay for a (now former) Injured Athlete's scholarship. This is a protection for athletes such that if you can no longer play, your scholarship does not disappear. The Athletic Department continues to pay for the scholarship but the scholarship does not count against team scholarship numbers (85 for football) or Title IX Numbers, or anything like that.
Not a medical redshirt.
Medical Exemption: A Medical Exemption is a failsafe for athletes who have career-ending injuries and can no longer participate at all in collegiate athletics. A Medical Exemption allows the AD to continue to pay for a (now former) Injured Athlete's scholarship. This is a protection for athletes such that if you can no longer play, your scholarship does not disappear. The Athletic Department continues to pay for the scholarship but the scholarship does not count against team scholarship numbers (85 for football) or Title IX Numbers, or anything like that.
Not a medical redshirt.
I was actually impressed with Ava in the vlog. Do I think she still has a journey absolutely, but she has come a very long ways. I’m not sure what her story will be on the court. What I can tell is she will be an asset of some sort. As to Kate Martin she is awesome, absolutely #1 total class. As good as Clark is - Kate has been the glue to this team.
Kate Martin has become my favorite. She is just AMAZING and am so glad that she is a Hawk!!!!
What an amazing, strong, young woman.
