Get 'cha Head (Back) in the Game
Summary
Senior athlete shares how her life was changed following a major injury.
“I was at a Volleyball tournament in Kansas City and it was Basketball season. I went up for a block and came down, and I think I came down on the side of my right foot. I remember hitting a thumbs up because I was fine, and then they got the wheelchair out, and I was like 'no'. Then I walked off the court and 10 minutes later I went and ran laps around the area. I was doing pistol squats to try and fix it; yeah, it did not fix it. I got hurt in January [2023] and had surgery in March. I was bored and I felt like I had nothing to do because my whole life was Volleyball, and then it wasn't. There was a mental block of not knowing what I'd be able to do, and I didn't know if I would be able to ever play again. Coming back, I was really scared of getting hurt, and I didn't know how strong my leg was going to be. [Now being able to play] makes me really grateful, and I'm just really happy anytime I get to play. There's nowhere else I'd rather be. [My advice would be] that it's all a mental game and you just have to trust yourself and trust the process.” -Raegann
Comments
Post a commentFlint Hills Writing Project Clay Center Community High School
Journalism classes at the high school in Clay Center Kansas
This story includes details that create a clear visual of the injury experience. The piece has a strong emotional draw.
Bella, I think you did a great job of capturing Raegann's experience. I could feel how emotionally defasting the injury she experienced was and at the end I could feel the hope she tries to convey through her advice to other people. Then, the image at the end really sells you because you see Reagann still going. It's a story of heartache and hard work and it's beautiful.