Athletes recovering from injury find it hard to readjust after being out for a long period of time

By Faraz Majid
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Junior Claire Kittaka was in soccer tryouts along with her other fellow teammates when she had tried to cut around another player. While doing so, she had planted her foot awkwardly and immediately felt a pop. That pop was a torn ACL.

Kittaka has been playing soccer her whole life.  Before joining the CHS soccer squad, she spent seven years playing on Carmel United.  She said before this incident she had never had an injury.

Now, after the injury, she said she is worried about her chances of playing soccer in college and being in game shape.  “I’m also sort of worried about losing a scholarship,” Kittaka said.

Trainer Dawn Robertson said that fear is not uncommon. “Yes, there is definitely a fear of losing a spot on the team and a scholarship,” Robertson said, “Junior athletes tend to be in more fear.”

Robertson also added, however, that a player striving for a scholarship versus someone just playing for fun does not make a difference.  She said that it just depends on the individual work ethic of that certain student athlete.

A major injury like a torn ACL, which puts a player on the bench for a season, can really take a toll on an athlete mentally.  “Anytime you’re an athlete and you’re watching the game being played, you’re saddened,” varsity men’s soccer coach Shane Schmidt said.

Robertson agreed and said the mental aspect of the game is a major obstacle, “The number one thing is the mental obstacle of playing, because of the fear that it will happen again,” she said.

The reason injuries can be so tough mentally, according to Robertson, is because with that kind of injury the athlete is out for an extended period of time.  “It is about a six-to nine-month rehab and about one year before they are truly 100 percent,” Robertson said.

Of course, for an athlete it is also difficult getting back into physical shape.  “Fitness level decreases a little bit because they’re not training in games and matches,” Schmidt said.

Kittaka said she fits this assessment. “I am definitely worried about being in game shape,” she said. “Being out of shape and not having played for months, it will be hard to get back what I’ve lost.” Still, many athletes tend not to dwell in the unfortunate event of their injuries.

However, athletes do not tend to dwell in the unfortunate event of their injury.  In fact, it seems they are determined to work hard and get back into game shape as soon as possible.  Not only for the wellness of their team but also so they can keep that hope alive of playing at the next level.  Kittaka is no exception.

“Hopefully I can work hard this spring and it (playing in college) can still be a possibility,” she said.

An injury is never a good thing, especially for the individual having to deal with it.  However, it is not always all bad when you look at it from a different perspective.  “It is an opportunity for somebody else waiting in the wings to take the moment and run with it,” Schmidt said.