Torn ACL: Not Serendipity, but Certainly not the
End
EASTON, Ma. - The
weather was unseasonably warm on this winter day at the WB Mason Stadium. The
Stonehill women’s lacrosse team was finishing up practice when Kelsey Shannahan,
a powerhouse midfielder, had the ball in her stick. As she charged toward the
goal, she didn’t think that just one minor change in direction would affect the
reason of her season. An instant shock of pain surged throughout her knee as
she hit the ground. This was every athlete’s nightmare, and two days before
their season opener, she was living it.
Kelsey Shannahan picked up a lacrosse stick for the first
time in the fourth grade. While she was a multitalented athlete, there was
something about this sport that stuck. Everything about the game was just so
appealing to her. The sheer power and intensity she felt with the stick in her
hands and the ball in her pocket matched no other feeling. Shannahan became so
fixated on improving her game so that one day she could play at a collegiate
level.
In high school, Shannahan was a superstar for the Morris Catholic
High School. In 2009 she was named Offensive Player of
the Year and was a three-time All-County selection. The college coaches who saw this New Jersey
native play were willing to do anything to have her on their program. Lucky
enough for Coach Kathryn Lambert, Shannahan committed to Stonehill College in
the fall of 2009. During her freshman year, Shannahan’s statistics were off the
charts. With thirty eight-points, fifty-eight ground balls, and forty-one
caused turnovers, Shannahan was arguably one of the best midfielders in
Division II.
Like any athlete, Shannahan had overcome her fair share of
injuries throughout her life. Shannahan has dealt with broken bones and
sprained ankles. The only difference is that a broken bone mends back together
and a sprain swells down quickly. That day at practice, Shannahan encountered
something far worse than a broken bone or some kind of sprain. Instead, she
tore her ACL, which is something that every athlete fears. Unlike almost every
other injury in sports, an ACL tear cannot heal on its own.
“Right when it happened I didn't even think of the ACL. I kept
telling myself I broke or sprained something in my knee because I didn't even
want to think about the other possibility.” Shannahan scheduled a doctor’s
appointment a few days after the incident, and prayed that it wasn’t as serious
as she thought.
“We all were optimistic. We kept telling ourselves she would be
fine because the truth is, we need her on the field,” says sophomore defender
Lauren Bonagura. Shannahan’s teammates stood by her side, and like Bonagura,
prayed that this injury would be an easy fix. This type of team plays for
national championships and graduates All-Americans. Not having Shannahan on the
field threatened this prospect, and the team hoped that this essential player
would be ready to play during the regular season.
Unfortunately, the results were that she had torn her ACL. She is
scheduled for surgery on May 31st, using the patella tendon for the
repair. This type is not only the longest recovery, but also the most painful
method. Shannahan was told that this was her only option if she ever wanted to
play again. Yet, having this surgery wasn’t her main concern. The fact that
this all-star athlete had to watch from the sidelines really took an emotional
toll on her.
“It so disappointing to work so hard for something
through the offseason and have it slip through your finger tips. I never
thought it could happen to me.” In the beginning, Shannahan could not swallow
the fact that her season was over before it even started. Though, she quickly
realized that this attitude would not take back what happened that day at
practice. One way she motivated herself was by researching athletes who also
tore their ACL’s in their college careers. The one Shannahan related to the
most was Robert Griffin III, a football star for Baylor University. Griffin started
as a freshman and was a major asset to the team, but his career was put on hold
when he too tore his ACL. This exceptional athlete not only came back strong, he
went on to win the Heisman Trophy. This story not only reassures Shannahan, but
motivates her for what is left to come in her career.
“No one doubts that Kelsey will come back and have an
incredible junior year. She is the type of athlete that I truly believe can
bounce back from anything,” says junior defender Jessica Guisti. Shannahan’s
teammates admire her strength during this difficult process. Instead of sulking
on the sidelines, she has become the team’s biggest cheerleader. She also has grown
a deeper appreciation for the game and a better understanding of the sport. As
a freshman, she would play throughout the game’s duration; therefore she never
had the opportunity to watch from a different perspective. This new setting has
allowed her to not only dissect the game, but to also think about what she
needs to improve upon when she comes back from her injury.
This young woman isn’t trying to rationalize her
situation. She truly believes that while this time in her life has been
difficult, it has changed her perspective completely. This injury has reminded
Shannahan just how much she needs lacrosse in her life. A lot of athletes take
their skills for granted and do not realize that without them, a significant
part of their life would be missing. As for now, this resilient and gifted
athlete will not only cheer for sidelines, but also envision the successes she
will inevitably have her junior and senior season.
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