A Diver’s Tenacious Comeback: Bouncing Back from Injury

Photo Courtesy: Alexis Hannah Fogel

By Danielle Repper, Swimming World College Intern

Growing up, I learned that there was a difference between being hurt, and being injured. Bumps, bruises and pain, are part of any sport. If you are hurt, you brush yourself off and get back in the game. Injuries are not that simple.

Athletes push their bodies everyday striving to jump higher, run farther, go faster, and be stronger. No matter how strong or physically fit one is, at some point during an athlete’s career, they risk sitting on the sideline because of injury.

Injuries are inevitable, however bouncing back is no easy feat. No matter how big or small the injury, it takes a toll.

Haley McNamara, former diver for the UCLA Bruins, suffered a posterior tibial dislocation during practice which led to a torn ACL, PCL, and LCL with a tibial plateau fracture. McNamara stated, “for a large amount of athletes that injury has been career-ending.” Clearly, her future in diving was in jeopardy. She had three reconstructive surgeries to repair the damage. “Post surgery my parents asked the doctor when I could return to diving and he said his main concern was making sure I could walk without a considerable limp,” she added.

“No one but myself could put the time and dedication into the rehabilitation process in order to return to diving, and that was a lot to bear mentally,” expressed McNamara.

The rehabilitation process is grueling. For many, this process is more mentally than physically challenging. To a competitive athlete, there is nothing more frustrating than the inability to perform a skill at which they excelled. The mark of a competitive athlete is their willingness to everything possible to get back in the game.

“I spent an average of four hours a day in the training room rehabbing my knee. Two hours before class, another two hours after practice. This routine continued for 10 months post-surgery. The hardest part was that only I could determine how fully I could recover from the injury,” McNamara added.

UCLA Athletics - Photos of the training rooms and medical facilities in the Acosta Center, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA August 9th, 2011 Copyright Don Liebig/ASUCLA

Photo Courtesy: Don Liebig

McNamara was out of the water for seven months. When she first stepped foot on the boards, she was only able to do line-up entries. It wasn’t until 11 months post-surgery, when she was once again able to jump.

At the collegiate level, the majority of athletes have lived most of their life in the pool, on the field, or on the court. To competitive athletes, the inability to compete is unfamiliar territory. Injuries commonly make athletes feel vulnerable, often leading them to question their identity. Do not allow injuries to change or defeat you. Step one, accept that you are injured. Ask yourself, what is my goal, and what will it take to get there? Then, commit to a plan to get back on your feet.

“What helped me get through my injury was the support from my teammates, athletic trainer, and coach. The psychological stress of an injury is sometimes more difficult than the recovery process– it was a real turning point for me knowing that I wasn’t alone and had a full support system behind me,” McNamara shared. “Once I was medically cleared, it was almost like learning to dive all over again. It was a balance of taking what my muscle memory wanted my body to do, and mixing it with the new approach I needed to take to the sport.”

McNamara bounced back from a potentially career-ending injury. She knew what she was capable of, and knew what it would take to get back on the boards. McNamara persevered. Her hard work paid off as she finished her career strong, competing for the Bruins at the 2014 PAC-12 Championships.

Unfortunately, injuries happen; they’re part of playing a sport. If and when they occur, hold yourself accountable! Check your progress because you, and only you stand in the way of your recovery. However, you’re not alone in the process. Your coach, teammates, and trainers will support and push you, because they too know your capabilities. Ultimately, you decide the kind of athlete you want to be. Show up to rehab, put the work in, make it count.

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LeAnne McClaskey

8 years ago

Tom Stebbins ? GO BRUINS!