Warsaw star runner Ashley Erba leads the pack in a race during her junior track season in 2012. Erba is currently sidelined due to three foot fractures (Photo by Mike Deak)

WARSAW – Ashley Erba has established herself as one of the state’s best long distance runners.

Unfortunately, the Warsaw senior star is currently sidelined and her return for her final prep season is in question.

Erba, the owner of a pair of state championships and a Providence College recruit, is out of action due to three foot fractures. Two of the  fractures, according to her father and Warsaw girls track and cross country coach Scott Erba, were likely sustained early in the cross country season in 2012.

“Ashley had some foot pain at the start of the season and it was checked and nothing was found,” said Scott Erba in a phone interview this morning.

Coach Erba said that one of two of the fractures may have occurred as early as last August in a cross country meet at DeKalb.

“Ashley stepped on a root during the race at DeKalb and her foot was swollen, but nothing was found,” said coach Erba. “We altered some of her training at the time, but we did not know. But, in hindsight, the initial pain was probably a break or two. We’re pretty sure now that she ran the cross country season with at least two breaks in her foot.”

The younger Erba won sectional, regional and semi state cross country titles in the fall before placing second to Mishawaka sophomore Anna Rohrer at the State Finals held in late October. Erba was presented with the Mental Attitude Award following the State Finals race in Terre Haute.

Ashley Erba is currently wearing a walking boot on her right foot after the three fractures were diagnosed about a month ago.

“It’s been tough and a struggle to deal with, but Ashley is handling this really well,” said Scott Erba. “She’s certainly disappointed, but the big thing is what’s best for her in the big picture. She knows that is to be healthy by the end of summer as she goes to college.”

“She’s had a really good attitude through all of this. It’s tough for me for sure to see my daughter not healthy and potentially lose her senior track season and not be able to do the things she could do if healthy. But, we have to keep a positive outlook and look at the long term and what’s best for her future.”

Erba won the state track championship in the 3,200-meter run last June in Bloomington. She then won the 5,000-meter run last summer at the New Balance Nationals, setting a national record in the process.  Erba was the state cross country champion as a junior in 2011.

Coach Erba, in hindsight, says what Ashley accomplished in the fall is pretty remarkable.

“When you look back now, there’s a reason for why some things happened the way they did in the cross country season,” said Scott Erba. “We did not know about the injury, but her pain tolerance has to be awfully high. Plus, Ashley has a strong desire to accomplish things.

“If you look at what she did, knowing what we know now, it makes her season even more impressive. It’s hard to say what would have happened had she been running completely healthy since none of us knew about the fractures. You can’t say what would have happened. I know I’m not going to take anything away from what other people accomplished.”

Erba is one of the most decorated athletes in WCHS history. She was named the Class 5-A Runner of the Year in both 2011 and 2012 by the state coaches association for cross country. She has been all-state in both track and cross country, as well as an earning academic all-state honors.  Erba was a member of the Indiana All-Star cross country team this past fall and has competed in numerous national races, including the Foot Locker Midwest Championships and the Nike Midwest Regional Qualifier cross country events back in November.

Erba, who has signed to run at Providence College, also excels in the classroom at WCHS. She carries a 13.04 GPA on a 12.0 scale to rank fourth in her class of 512 students.

The Warsaw girls track team is scheduled to open its 2013 outdoor season March 20 by hosting Penn, South Bend Washington and Culver.

Coach Erba says his daughter is due back in Indianapolis for another evaluation on her right foot in a week and a half. She is currently doing conditioning workouts in the pool.

“There is no timeline for her to return to running,” said coach Erba. “The doctors have not said anything about that. We’ll go back and have it evaluated in a week and a half and go from there. We do not know what will happen in regards to this season. Like I said, the big thing is the big picture for Ashley and to make sure she is healthy for her college career.”