Unforgettable Experience
I felt like I was playing the best I have ever played, being on a new team, new players and coaches. My new team, the RC Flames was playing in our very first tournament in Bullhead, Arizona. We made it all the way to the championship game undefeated. Going into this game, I would have never guessed that this unfortunate event would’ve ever happened to me. It was the second half of a very hot and tiring game. We were winning two to one against a Camarillo team. As a left midfielder I tried my hardest to get the ball up the field, through the other players, to my forwards to give them a good chance of scoring a goal. Unfortunately as I tried to pass the ball through the other team’s defense line I was pushed to the right by a girl on my left, and then pushed to the left by a girl on the right. All of this happening at once caused me to step onto the ball and twist my knee a way it probably shouldn’t have been twisted. All in slow motion, I hear a loud snap and crack, the crowd gasping louder than they usually do. Next thing I know, I am on the ground, and I was then surrounded by my team mates checking if I was okay. Finally I felt the excruciating pain of my knee cap being all the way on the left side of my leg. I will never see my knee the same way after this moment. I am laying there out of breath and in shock. I see my coach running out onto the field to help me. He takes one short look at my knee a gaps, which doesn’t make me feel any better. Then, after that, all I remember was being pulled off the field on stretcher to go to the tournament’s first aid tent. As I lay under the shaded tent, I was given water as my cleats and shin guards were pulled off by the paramedics. The man took my leg and said “This will only hurt a little bit and only for a few moments.” He lied. He massaged my knee; put pressure on it then out of nowhere he straightens my knee, very quickly. I can’t seem to get the sound that it made out of my head till this day, it’s something I will never forget. I couldn’t breathe, the pain was 10 times worse than it was before, and I cried and screamed. They then said I needed to get my mind off of it, so they took me back to my game to watch the last part of it. Watching the game, and realizing there might be a chance I would never play again, this killed me. On the bright side, we ended up winning the game four to one. I was devastated I couldn’t be on the field to celebrate winning the championship game with my team. After the traditional “good game” in the middle of the field both my team and the opposing team came to me giving me hugs and their condolences. I began to cry again, all the love I was getting and thinking that I might not be able to finish the season with my new team. It broke my heart. It is now almost a year and a half since this happened and I am back on the field playing the same way I was at the beginning of the season. Even if my knee will never be the same, or I feel the pain in my knee at random times, this made me a better person and a better player. This will be a moment I will never forget no matter how hard I try.
Ouch. I can't imagine how terrible that would feel. Sports injuries are hard. Glad to hear you recovered.
ReplyDeleteI played soccer as a midfielder for years I only stopped Junior and Senior year so I feels you on how much an injury can ruin it! I am so so so sorry! But congratulations on making it to Arizona! That is such a huge tournament!
ReplyDeleteIt's always great to turn something we may initially take as a tragedy and create a learning experience out of it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Marcus. Although it was a scary and somewhat disappointing experience for you, I'm glad you can look on it as a growing experience :)
ReplyDeleteI feel like I could here your knee pop back into place im happy that there was a happy ending :)
ReplyDeletei was able to imagine the pain woooahh but it is great that you got to play again and was able to use this experience to grow stronger.
ReplyDeleteOh the pain that comes from sports. There is no way to sum up or explain the exrucating pain that comes from an injury. I sprained my ankle last year and I can still vividdly remember the sound yet everything else was a blur. Ive learned through that experience that I am stronger than I ever thought possible and I see that you have also felt the relief I felt at getting to continue playing the game you love:)
ReplyDeleteOOHH.. when you were describing the pain i felt like my knee twitching for a second! LOL I love how you wrote about your personal experience. Thank you for sharing! I just wish i could join sports because i never committed to one. i like to play sports for fun and that's it, I just have the fear of getting hurt.. Great job!
ReplyDeleteI loved the way you wrote this, constantly building to something more and that some more was happiness. I loved it! Very graphic too which helped
ReplyDeleteThis is the worst part about sports. We do this to ourselves knowing there will be consequences but our love for the sport drives us to over look it. I can completely relate to this feeling, great job!
ReplyDeleteI can understand how you felt, because Ive been injured too I could see this all in my head as if I were there when it happened great use of detail (: we soccer players endure what comes being one of the rougher contact sports, its great that you can play again but man what we go through for the love of the game !
ReplyDeleteEGH! i was cringing as i was reading this.. i can relate to the injuries with soccer since i was in ayso for a bit myself, it sucks thats why i gave up on sports haha anyways im so glad to see you were a trooper and didnt give up on your team. Its good to see people still continue on with things they love after an incident like this happens
ReplyDeleteThis is really relatable! Your descriptions on the injury made me feel like it was happening to me! good job!
ReplyDeleteI literally flinched away from the screen when I read the line saying "a loud snap and crack". I'm glad you made something positive out of something that would have depressed anyone. It's amazing that you followed your dreams and continue to play :)
ReplyDeleteHoly poop, that image of your knee cap on the side of your leg 0.o i..wow..can't even imagine, i mean thanks to SyFy i have this grotesque image in my mind but dang, tough man. I'm really glad you're okay and can still play though! Nice sequence of events, very efficient delivery. Thank you for sharing:)
ReplyDeleteomg i could like feel the pain as you were describing how it got twisted up but dang you have a great mind set towards soccer
ReplyDeleteThat made me feel all emotional, I remember playing soccer and how each game meant so much, so I could only imagine what you felt being that far advanced into the the sport only to think you would never be able to play again! I cringed when you were describing your knee because of how painful it sounds but that you were really distracted with not being able to play again shows how much it means to you! Great memory choice!
ReplyDeleteComing from a family with serious knee issues, I was cringing reading the entire piece! I have problems with my knees and I can image the horrible pain you must have been in. More than that, I love how you can feel the horror in your mind at the possibility of not being able to do what you love most because of an injury, and that terror at what the future might hold.
ReplyDeleteI could just imagine all of this happening, it made me cringe! Getting injured is probably one of the worst things a player could go through! I give you props to continue playing after such a big injury! Thank you for sharing your crazy but amazing story!
ReplyDeleteOh no, a sports injury. It's an athlete's worse enemy, and you seem to acknowledge it as such. You reminded me of Derrick Rose when he tore his ACL during the first playoff game against Philly. I remember how devastating it was and can only imagine the emotional downfall you felt during that game.
ReplyDeleteDanielle, your descriptions of what happened gave me chills and made me want to throw up because it was so descriptive…anyways, I remember when this happened! I remember people telling me you got hurt, but I never realized how serious it was. I can't believe the paramedics took you back to the game to watch it like you could get your mind off of it. Even though your knee was just popped out and back into place! Thank you for sharing with everyone your love for soccer!
ReplyDeleteMan, while reading this i felt that i was there and in the crowd. Your excellent use of description made me grimace and make faces while reading! i feel your pain and hope your better!
ReplyDeleteI'm happy you were able to turn this horrible event around into a positive yet unfortunate experience. Even with all the detail about how much the pain must have hurt, I cannot imagine how bad this must have felt.
ReplyDeleteI flinched so hard! really nice detail. I quite enjoyed this piece. *submits post while subconsciously rubbing knee*
ReplyDeleteI really wish I played soccer and loved a sport as much you do. Reading that you were in pain gave me a pain in MY knee, haha, But I'm glad you're okay and I hope you continue pursuing soccer.
ReplyDeleteI've been through injuries before, but never injuries this bad. Man, the way you described it just made me ahh..! Great story though!
ReplyDeleteouch ouch ouch ouch! You did a great job making the readers imagine the amount of pain you must've felt. It must've been heartbreaking to think you wouldn't be able to play for quite some time. It's good to know that you're back on the field!
ReplyDeleteI am feeling the pain. Good job with the very descriptive and painful narrative. Keep doing what you do, without the knee injury!
ReplyDeleteinjuries are the worst and just to here a detailed story about it gives me goosebumps. its honestly a great read for a tragic day ,lol.
ReplyDeleteOoow! My knee hurts now. Very good description. I'm glad you are playing again. :)
ReplyDeleteAaaaaahhh, reading this I imagined myself in the same position and just got chills going up my spine thinking about it. Its good that you can still play and really swell that it made you a better player :)
ReplyDeleteReading your narrative was like watching a mini movie, it was so descriptive and it gave me chills when you described the pain and what happened with your knee. Happy to hear you recovered well and play better than ever! :) Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteOMG! i literally got the chills! thank God you are okay now though! however the way you described it was so real as if i was there..great job and with your love for soccer i hope you get far. :)
ReplyDeleteJust the description of the injury made me what to close my eyes, as if I were really there when the incident happened. Your use of detail was great, and I understand how you feel when it comes to injuries and I know how hard it could be to not to be able to play the game that you love. I'm so glade that you are still able to play soccer, and move on from this horrible injury!
ReplyDeleteThis read was very descriptive and I literally made the face of someone in pain while reading this. The transition of emotions and thoughts as you were in the tent was really effective as well as your emotions from watching the rest of the game. Your reflection also added a sweet resolution to the intense emotions and finally left me satisfied. Job well done!
ReplyDeleteWow! I love how descriptive you wrote your personal narrative even though it gave me the chills! This showed me that you have a strong love for your sport and that you weren't going to let anything stop you from getting back on the field. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI was cringing the whole time I was reading this, injuries make me uneasy. But reading this I could feel how much this event impacted you and I could feel your love for the game and the pride in your team and the people around you. Great descriptive writing and insight on how this injury effected you. Good add-ins about the sound and the way the paramedic fixed your knee, it definitely gave me the chills!
ReplyDeleteI liked how you saw the bad experience and turned it into a learning experience. Also, your descriptions of the injury were very well written.
ReplyDeleteWow! I had the same exact experience, but with a different sport and a different injury. It's a crazy feeling wondering if you will ever fully recover and I'm so glad you are back on the field playing again.
ReplyDeleteOUCH! All the detail you added in there made it so easy for me to imagine the pain. The imagery really made this piece of writing strong.
ReplyDelete--- Never loose touch with the things you love!
I like how you turned something that was bad into something that was a learning experience for you. You had really good imagery in this piece.
ReplyDeleteYou really explained in detail about your injury. I am glad you have recovered! Throughout my reading It was like I could feel the pain!
ReplyDeleteThe amount of imagery actually made me cringe. I have never had this bad of an injury, and based off this, you have made me happy that I haven't.
ReplyDeleteWow you are such a strong individual to endure such pain in which your descriptive writing just made it so real that I felt that like my knee was also in pain. And I'm sorry that this injury held you back from playing the game but its just the test that we are placed with, but its about weather you get up that really counts and you did, so I applause you and I hope the damages don't come back again. On the other hand your writing was that a sports illustrated magazine narrating the recent injury from an all star. In other words you had me.
ReplyDeleteThat must have been so scary thinking about how you might not have been able to play again. I'm glad everything turned out okay and your story is very inspirational.
ReplyDeletewow, great narrative! I felt like I was right there with you!
ReplyDeleteAh that sounded so painful! But the message near the end was very nice.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't help but feel the pain and shock as you told it.
ReplyDeleteThe Imagery was very strong and made the injury really stand out in your story. Nice Job! I cringed reading this.
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