There is no way of sidestepping injury. The only variable in a sporting career is the severity of the damage, but no two players experience it in the same way. How you navigate it defines the player you become in the aftermath.
There is a period in every career when the scales tip against you physically, when your body becomes the obstacle rather than the vehicle. Finding a path back to the player you once were – fit, free, and confident – can feel almost impossible.
The loss of control is deeply unsettling. Athletes crave certainty. Even when most injuries follow predictable timelines, there is usually a moment or two that tests your resolve. These moments require patience and perspective. Routine and identity is temporarily stripped away and replaced with waiting rooms, rehab rooms and an acute sense of vulnerability.
I was fortunate to have a relatively injury-free run through the early part of my career.
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