Courtney’s Story: Overcoming Challenges…

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Perseverance:  The act of…continuing, enduring, holding on, not giving up: Courtney’s Inspirational Story

“I’m proud of who I’m growing up to be. I’ve fallen down countless times but I’ve always gotten back up. I’ve been
pushed way past by breaking point but I’ve yet to shatter. I’ve had a dream
fall and break into a thousand pieces but I’ve picked up one of those pieces
and began again.”
“I may not be there yet, but I’m closer than I was yesterday.”
These are the words I’ve lived by growing up playing soccer. But growing up
playing a sport can come with multiple challenges. When you step out onto that
field or court everyday you have to accept those challenges and all the
consequences that come with it.

Lots of us have grown up playing a sport that we love. After
a few years it isn’t just a hobby anymore; it’s an obsession. You put in those
work hours every day to strive to become that “better” athlete. But behind
every hard working athlete, there’s inspiration; and that inspiration shows not
only on the field, but off the field as well, when no else sees it.
I know what it feels like to be so close to your dream and
have it slip through your fingers; like sand in an hour glass, it takes forever
for it to fall back into place again.
My inspiration began my eight grade year. I had just started
to gain more confidence and was ready to enter high school and show off for
colleges. My team and I were in soccer tournament and it wasn’t even ten
minutes into the game when one of those challenges caught up to me. I got ready
to trap a ball out of the air and as I was bringing the ball down and getting
ready to turn, I heard and felt this sudden pop in my knee. I went down
instantly and the pain was excruciating. I was carried off the field and
referred to go see my orthopedic the following Monday. Turns out I had torn my
ACL. This was only the beginning to the journey I had ahead of me. I came back
from my injury as strong as I  had been
before; may be even stronger. I wasn’t five games back and my right ACL gave
out. If you could only imagine the tears that ran down my face. I knew what had
happened instantly. My parents knew that it was a difficult thing to accept,
coming back and having your other knee give out. My mind was racing with
questions; is playing worth it anymore? The first time was easy, will this be
harder? Even though I hate to admit it, I doubted myself for a while. But with
the support from family and friends, they helped me overcome this obstacle.
I went on to play my sophomore year of high school soccer.
It wasn’t my best season but I was coming back around to my regular self again.
After high school season was over it was time for club ball again. Training
started off heavy but I felt good to back with the team. We started doing small
sided games and foot work and something just didn’t feel right in my knee. It
kept popping and locking and gliding. It was uncomfortable but I stuck out just
thinking it was all in my head. Before I knew it, it was my junior year of high
school try outs. (I had still been dealing with uncomfortable pain in my knee.)
Try outs started and we did warm up running and I felt a worse pain than
before. I couldn’t straighten my knee or run. The pain had taken a turn for the
worse. I sat out from tryouts and practices for a good few weeks before my
doctor said they thought my meniscus was torn. “Great another surgery” I thought
to myself. So over my spring break I was on the operating table and as it turns
out my meniscus wasn’t torn, it was just a bundle of needle like scar tissue.
So I came back after a few short weeks. The doctor put me in a knee brace to
play in because my knee naturally hyper extends and it was putting more wear on
my ACL. I came back and played a few games and I was having the same pain in my
knee. I kept it to myself for a little while thinking it was just my mind
playing tricks on my again. I played high school ball and club during the
summer and fall; and by that point the pain had gotten worse again. I went to
multiple doctors searching for answers, but couldn’t come up with any. I tried
everything, building up muscle, muscle treatment at physical therapy, and
nothing seemed to work. When December of 2011 rolled around we found our
answer. My ACL had been put in the wrong spot and I had no support in my knee
for a year and a half.
The news to me was more devastating than the first few times
I heard it. Finding out that I was cheated for a year and half really affected
me. I had a full ride to a college and I couldn’t accept it because of my knee.
As of right now I am recovering from this error. I’m
currently a month and a few weeks out of surgery and things have never gone
smoother.

I have accepted a scholarship for soccer at Culver Stockon University.
What playing soccer has taught me is that of team work, dedication, and the deep
love you feel for something can shape who you are as a person. If you work hard
for something, that hard work eventually pays off. Going through the problems I
faced for five years inspired me to keep playing the sport I know and love.

“I’m proud of who I’m growing up to be. I’ve fallen down countless times but I’ve always gotten back up. I’ve been
pushed way past by breaking point but I’ve yet to shatter. I’ve had a dream fall
and break into a thousand pieces but I’ve picked up one of those pieces and
began again.”