Overcoming an ACL Tear and De-Commitment as an Athlete

I grew up with a ball at my feet. Soccer was my first love. I started playing at the age of five years old. But it wasn’t a steady slope.

I took a break from soccer at the age of eleven. I lost the love of the game for three years of my life. When I turned fourteen, I made my way back to the game. As you can imagine, it was not easy coming back.

I missed three years of training and development. I decided to join a local travel team in my community. It was intramural level, so there was no competitive atmosphere. Not to sound arrogant by any means, but I was the star of the team. I was the lead scorer, and I outran all the defenders. I gained my confidence back. A close friend of mine played on the travel team with me. Her dad was the first to believe in me. He thought I could play at the next level. He called his daughter’s Premier Soccer League coach to come to watch one of my games. I had no idea he was doing this.

I ended up scoring a hat trick (three goals) in that game. After the game, the coach came up to me and asked me to play for his team. I was shocked. I had only played for one season since coming back. But I was ready for that next step. At least I thought I was… My first practice with my new team was brutal. They were much more advanced than I was. I left that practice wondering why that coach wanted me. Looking back now, I see why. He always told me throughout my years with him that I am “very teachable.” He tried to teach me the game because he knew I could grow as a player with his training. And I did.

Flash forward to my junior year in High School, I committed to play college ball at Gettysburg College.

It was a long and arduous journey to get there, but it was all worth it because I would live my dream of playing soccer in college. Throughout my high school soccer years, I never saw the field. I was a bench warmer for a Dartmouth Commit my sophomore and junior year of high school. But when she graduated, her spot as a center forward was open.

I just committed to play college ball, so there was no doubt in my mind that I would fill her place. In the season’s first game, I was waiting to hear my name in the starting lineup, and I never did. How do you bench a player who just committed to play in college? It made no sense to me at all. After the game, I spoke to the coach. She tried to reassure me that I would play, but I didn’t believe her.

So, I quit.

I have no regrets about my decision to leave the team. It was difficult, however, to miss a season of soccer. My club team season didn’t start until after the High School season ends, which meant three months of no soccer games. So, when the first game of the season came around, I couldn’t be more excited. I felt the most confident I’ve ever regarded as a player walking onto the field on November 23, 2018.

About forty minutes into the game, I started to make a run towards the ball. I stepped forward and “pop.” I lost feeling in my right knee and instantly dropped to the floor. I started crying, not able to keep my pain inside. I laid on the field for about twenty minutes before sitting up.

I limped off the field with my arms around my coach’s shoulders. There was no medical staff on sight, so we had to walk to the car to go to the hospital.

My dad carried me to the car. Of course, we were at the farthest field from the parking lot, so it took a while. I was in the worst pain of my entire life on that ride to the hospital. When we saw the doctor, he told me I entirely tore my ACL in my right knee. He knew without an MRI that I entirely tore my ACL. My first thought after he told me was soccer.

When would I play soccer again?

It took a recovery time of a year before I touched a soccer ball again. So much had changed over that year. I ended up de-committing from Gettysburg College after my injury. That forced me to change my future by looking at other colleges and universities.

I ended up on the West Coast with my twin sister.

I am currently back playing competitive soccer on the University of San Diego women’s club soccer team. I could not be more excited to get back on the field. I never gave up on soccer. I loved the game too much ever to give it up. With strength and God, I was able to make it back to what I love most. He had a plan for me that I couldn’t see at the time of my injury, but now I can. Have strength in yourself and the Lord. Believe in yourself, and anything is possible.