There is never a good time for injury

No one likes to get hurt. It is a general rule that people avoid pain because it's, well...painful. There is something worse about bad timing of an injury that can make one more painful than another. A season-ending injury at the very start of a hopeful season is among the more painful experiences. Working hard to come back from an ACL reconstruction to only have it happen to you again, is... indescribable.

The team has come in with better fitness than we have had for three years, but despite the hard work, we've suffered two of those painful injuries in the last four days. I say we, because it is something that is felt through the entire team. We watch it happen, we wriggle with anxiety when we can see the obvious discomfort and I, as a coach, spend sleepless nights wondering if there was anything that I could have or should have done differently. It takes a toll on the injured and it takes a toll on the teammates who were rooting for her.

Injury is part of sport...blah, blah, blah and every part of me hates that reality. I suppose I could spend more time than necessary being bitter about that, but I guess I truly do not have a choice. (Can you guess which part of the grieving process I am in right now?)I have to move from where I am and more toward the stage of acceptance. The entire team is going to have to do that too, and for some, getting through the angry and sad stages of grief takes longer than for others.

The injured players will have a journey that is unfortunately much separated from the support and presence of the team, and the healthy players will have to continue preparing for the imminent season, putting out of their minds the pain their friends are being forced to endure.

We'll all bounce back from this, prepare for the season to come and grow through the injuries...despite the fact that the timing couldn't be worse.

The Start of Something New

The 2008 season has officially begun. There is nothing quite like the first day of another season where nerves are settled and hard work is rewarded. The lonely workouts of summer have paid off and it is so exciting to see the energy that comes with a clean slate.

It was very hot today, and it is expected to be just as hot through the remainder of the week. It will be good for conditioning, and we're all very happy to be outside without the frustration of rain days. I hope that doesn't jinx us!

There are several practices ahead of us and time for the players to get to know each other and to find the rythem and chemistry that is going to be so important for us as we come up on our initial competitions.

It is easy to have energy...it is easy to be hopeful...what is not easy is maintaining that attitude through all there is yet to come.