Recently our point guard went down with an ACL injury. A complete tear. As her coach, it’s a bummer of course, but she will be dealing with it every day for the next six to nine months. That SUCKS…and that’s putting it mildly.
I think of our point guard every day, throughout the day, because I know what it’s like to deal with injuries. On the court I’ve dealt with sprained ankles, broken fingers and other sports injuries. And I’ve returned from a bad femur break and arm & shoulder injury after a car accident (more about my recovery in this Eastern Magazine article Peace, Love, Basketball by Kandi Carper), so I know that surgery and physical rehabilitation are difficult, but it’s the mental recovery that’s the toughest.
Athletes want to play. Our point guard wants to play. She wants to feel and be a part of her team. And though she is still very important, I know it doesn’t feel the same when you’re not on the court. And when the season is over, she will miss the team camaraderie when she will need it most.
Fortunately this year our team is very connected, and I know they will reach out to their downed teammate after our final game, but it will not be the same. So that is when that injured player; our point guard, your friend, your husband, maybe you, need to dig deep and do what must be done to get better. Because life must go on and it’s a hell of a lot more fun when you’re healthy. And when you’re healthy it’s a lot easier to be happy.
Be strong and always believe in you!
