2025 Female Comeback Athlete of the Year: Kara Holcomb
UK HealthCare Sports Medicine is proud to present the 2025 Female Comeback Athlete of the Year Award. This year's recipient is Kara Holcomb, a senior from Letcher County Central High School in Whitesburg, Ky.
Two Comeback Athlete of the Year Awards — given to one male student-athlete and one female student-athlete — are presented annually to young people who have overcome illness or injury that affected their ability to participate in sports sanctioned by the Kentucky High School Athletic Association. Athletic trainers from across Kentucky review nominees submitted to the KHSAA, and recipients are determined based on their sportsmanship, ethical behavior on and off the field, and academic standing.
Congratulations to Kara on being this year's female recipient!
About Kara
After surviving a car accident caused by a drunk driver, Kara faced a challenging recovery despite initially appearing fine.
Mid-season, glass embedded deep in Kara’s foot began to reveal itself. Removal required multiple surgeries, over the course of which the fatty pad in Kara’s foot was also removed. It did not grow back.
While in seventh grade, Kara had a major procedure at Shriners Hospital in Lexington, where tissue and fat was moved into her foot and skin from her hip was grated. Though this surgery helped some, after months of recovery, she still could not walk on the heel of her foot; still today, when bare foot, Kara still must walk on her tip toes. She goes to Shriners every six months to have custom inserts for her shoes installed so that she can walk as normal as possible and still play sports.
Despite living with daily pain and needing custom shoe inserts for life, Kara refused to let it hold her back.
“On top of all her accomplishments, you will find Kara at the field or in the gym even where there is no practice, working to better herself daily,” Letcher County Central girls basketball coach Jay Perkins said. “She plays through the pain with her foot daily because she loves sports and the teammates she has. She always exhibits great sportsmanship and respect to her teammates, opponents and coaches.”
Kara has been a three-year varsity starter in basketball who’s earned all-district and all-region honors, broke her school’s three-point record and helped her team win multiple district and regional titles. On the softball field she plays shortstop, has earned all-region honors and helped lead her team to the state tournament.
Off the field, Kara maintains a 4.0 GPA, is a member of the National Honor Society and takes dual-credit courses while actively volunteering in her community.
