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Risk vs Reward -Injuries
As a starting lacrosse goalie my Junior year in High School, I tore my Achilles tendon. Fortunately, it wasn’t a complete tear. Doctors' recommendation was for me to miss significant time and have it reevaluated at a much later date. I was provided with a brace, crutches and advised to stay off of it! I left the doctor knowing that I wasn't missing anything! It just wasn’t going to happen. Honestly, lacrosse was the most important thing in my life at this age!
We had a game the next day. Some might think this was a bad thing! It didn’t provide an opportunity for our coach to recognize how bad my ankle was! I suited up and played! All of these years as a goalie I cannot remember a shot ever hitting my ankle! Feet, legs, chest, thumb, head….everywhere else! Never my ankle! EXCEPT for that day! The very first shot came screaming low, I stepped towards it and just missed it with my stick. Thank God I still made the save! Right off of my ankle! Wow the pain rushed! Except I was able to immediately block it out and was more focused on locating the ball! I cared for my teammates and competing more than my health and the pain. I finished the season without missing a game! As a 46-year-old writing this, I have some awesome memories from that season! The only pain I remember was that first game!
I was a teenager then! Fast forward 28 years and I ask myself, was that a good decision…
