The Setback that Fuels HER Comeback

“Every setback is setup for a comeback”

As athletes we face many setbacks, just take a look at the picture below and you'll see I've experienced my fair share. It's easy to get caught up in the negative and the what ifs, but through each of these experiences, I saw how a disappointing setback became a victorious comeback.

Visualize: July 9^th, 85^th minute. The ball was rolling on the top of the 18-yard box, the goalkeeper and I approaching step for step on either side. We finally met, my foot went numb and my body went limp. I laid there on the field, grasping my foot, knowing the pain I was feeling wasn’t temporary this time. But in that moment, after so many surgeries and past injuries, it was the thought of the rehab and the games to be missed that hurt more than the broken bone in my foot.

So here I am, in the midst of my own setback.

Being able to get a taste of playing at the professional level last season definitely changed the way I attacked this injury and the recovery process. There is nothing like playing at the highest level and I would do anything to get back on the field. It changed the way I trained this off-season and really posed the questions, “am I doing enough and can I be doing more?” I implemented more skill work into my workouts and took the time to seek out the best resources to make me better. But do not misinterpret all this optimism for a perfect recovery process, just last week I called my dad in tears. I know I will have hard days, but those are the days when we grow and learn the most about ourselves.

With any setback, it’s the mental aspect that can be the most challenging. While the initial shock is heart breaking, it’s the days after that pose the biggest struggle. The days when your discipline, your fight and your will to get back on the field is put to the test. Some days you will cry and convince yourself that you will never be the same. Your doubt will get the best of you and that tiny voice inside your head will try to justify a reason to give up. But it just takes one good day to shadow over every bad one. The day you get to start running again, the day when the stress is lifted, or the day when you are reminded that you are an amazing young woman. And it's those days that restore your hope and drive. It’s the memories of winning and playing the sport you love with your best friends. It’s the thought of playing in college, professionally or for the national team that reminds us why this temporary suffering will be worth it. So if you find yourself in the midst of a setback, pick yourself up and keep fighting for that one good day, because it will change everything.

I’ve also experienced other types of setbacks separate from my injuries. Whether it was a boyfriend, a friendship, bad grades or just the emotional stress that comes with balancing life, they have all hindered my ability to preform at my highest level. I know what its like to be up on the phone all night and watch a relationship end, then wake up and play the next morning. I know what its like to get a bad grade on a test and drive straight to practice. I know what its like to lose a loved one and run a fitness test a few hours later. We all experience these heartaches and stressful situations. We are expected to preform no matter the circumstances and that pressure can often be overwhelming. It’s important to understand that these setbacks, these times where we may lack the ability to preform at our best, are simply temporary. It is part of the magical process that makes us into the person and the player we are supposed to be. Every setback is setup for a comeback.

I have had some of my best comebacks after some of my biggest setbacks. Having that time to take a step back and really evaluate yourself as a player has made the difference for me. It exposed my weaknesses, it pushed me to work harder and expect more, it created a toughness I never thought I was capable of, it helped me value the game more and understand that my time playing this sport is never promised. Without these setbacks, I may have never reached the place I am today and the places I will be in the future. 

So wherever you are in your journey, I hope that you take these setbacks head on. Don’t lose hope when that voice tells you it’s easier to quit. Tune out the doubt, believe in the process and know that your comeback can only be defined by you. So no matter the severity of your setback, just remember it is setup for YOUR comeback. Own your comeback and let your hope in it be the strength that carries you through the process!

As for my adventures…this week I participated in the annual office cookie exchange in which I made Grinch cookies and wore the coolest sweater ever made #believeinyourELFIE!

I also did my first spin class...800 calories later and some extremely sore quads, I have gained an overwhelming respect for cyclists.

Last week I visited Proper Pie where the Peach BBQ meat pie and caramel pumpkin pie exceeded all expectations! I did not get the chance to visit Carytown yet, but hopefully I will get to check that off the list NEXT year!

Most importantly, I was a part of another championship this week. Shoutout to Team Bae for winning the Division 1 Co-ed Indoor Soccer Championship on Monday night. I’m not sure which National Championship felt better, NWSL or D1 Co-ed…I’ll make that decision once I receive my championship t-shirt.

Now off to Kansas City for Christmas with the Groom Family! Make sure to check out next week’s blog as I’m going to try something a little different! Tune in Wednesday to TAKE A LOOK at what I’m doing in KC! Happy Holidays y’all!