If you’ve been following my blog, you’ll know that I’ve been struggling with a knee injury since October. After re-injuring myself during our Christmas trip, I had to restart from square one. To say that was frustrating would be an understatement. Having to start all over rehabbing my knee when I was so close to being able to play again back in December was infuriating. Not being able to workout with my teammates was isolating, and attempting to navigate the Irish healthcare system was a challenge.
However, I’m happy to say that with the help of Coach Jim and the WIT Vikings, I’ve got myself a brand new knee brace. I was finally able to practice the other day and let me tell you, it felt fantastic. Being able to run up and down the court again was so liberating. Granted, I was extremely rusty and slow, but just the fact that I could run those 94 feet made me so happy.
As I’ve said before, being injured put everything in perspective. The experience made me realize how important basketball was to me – it really is a part of my identity. I realized that just because I wasn’t playing, didn’t mean that basketball was completely cut out of my life. I was still able to use my knowledge of the sport to coach in the community and cheer on my teammates. Playing is only one aspect of the sport – being able to use my love of the game to help others have the same opportunities and experiences I’ve had makes it all worth it. That thought is what kept me going through my own struggles, and what will help me inspire others in the future.
