My 5 months in a nutshell......

Since January and my initial posting on this blog, many things have occurred both good and of course many not so good.... Let me start from the beginning in chronological order. (Sorry for the incredibly long post, but this covers about 5 months of ups and downs and everything in between so grab a coffee and hunker down if you do so choose)

For those who didn't know, I had been playing professional volleyball since August 2011 in Holland in a city called Groningen (this was my initial calling to travel, that has lead me so many other adventures I had not foreseen no matter how many scenarios I played out in my head).  It had been 6-7 years since I have fully dedicated my mind and body to the sport of volleyball, and I was ecstatic to re-immerse myself in the sport I love, with my new found appreciation for it. Of course I was excited, of course I had planned on experiencing some "speed bumps" along the way, and everything was going according to plan...... I had been with my club officially for 3 months and I had to miss my first league match against the pre-season ranked #1 team (Doetinchem) due to lazy paperwork handling on our clubs part, however I got to see what the true nature of an international volleyball game looked like from an outside perspective (we lost 1-3). My inescapable knee pain had returned, however I was jumping just as high as I had been when I was 21. My passing had essentially gone to sh**, whilst my attacking was right on par with where I wanted it to be. My attitude and competitiveness had not dwindled in the slightest, but I have also never experienced a coach who seemed to loath me so much. There were matches where I played incredibly inconsistent and several times I was subbed out of the match not to return, however as the year progressed and the matches became more important (European Cup, rival matches, games after I played like crap), I stepped up my game and often was the match leader in points. These are the types of scenarios I HAD gone over in my head in the 2 years prior to leaving for Europe........ now for the unexpected!

Things were starting to become second nature for me. I was finding my stride in the sport and on my team and was looking forward to finishing my first year overseas with a championship title. Things were looking great. My agent was working on getting me tryouts in Germany and Belgium (which are both better leagues in terms of level of play AND financially) once my Dutch season was over. I was already moving up and now all I had to focus on were the playoffs for the Dutch league and make sure I performed well. Our team had locked up the 3rd seed in playoffs despite the "wrinkles" we were ironing out, and we had JUST discovered the type of team we were and how to use it to our advantage. We had two league matches left before playoffs started, the first match was against the 8th ranked team in the league and we should have NO problem sending these guys back home with their heads hanging. The next match..... was against the undefeated Doetinchem whom I had yet to play, and was more than ready to show them their first win against us was simply due to the fact that our team was not in "full strength"...... but first things first. We are playing Zaanstad (#8 team) at home and we are winning 2-1. I am playing well. During the 4th set I received a jump serve, and the pass was not the best. The only option for our setter was to bump-set the ball to me, so I anticipate this and gear up for another approach...... just as I am about to pounce on the ball I get tackled from behind, or so I thought! I am stomach down on the floor, not sure how I got there, and have in intense dead-leg sensation on my right calf. My initial thought.... "Who the f*** would get in my way when the ball was obviously mine!!!" Still not sure who "knocked" me down and who to "blame" I contain my rage and try to stand up. As I try to walk, I simply can't.  With the help of my roommate/teammate and the team trainer, I am helped to the sideline. A few diagnostic tests are conducted, but I am in very minimal pain now and feel as though I can continue. Under the recommendation of our trainer, I take five minutes to “walk it off” where I slowly, and to my detriment realize, I can not continue.  We win the match while I am on the bench trying to figure out what the heck happened. I am taken to the local hospital for a medical evaluation where it was immediately diagnosed by the physician; I completely ruptured my right Achilles Tendon…. Prognosis; 6-12 months. Devastated……

Video link of my injuring it, not gruesome at all don't worry...

http://youtu.be/DuJmWIV1cBA

The immediate thoughts that run through my head; Will I play volleyball ever again and be able to pursue my Olympic dream? Who “ran” into me and was this their fault? Will the team drop me and will I have to find a job simply to make ends meet? Who is going to pay for my surgery? Do I need to buy a flight home to America? Do I need surgery tonight? What are my options? And on the tail end of my concerns yet still in the forefront of my mind, Will I be able to meet my best friend Jason in Bali for what was supposed to be a trip of a lifetime? Frustration, anger, sadness, devastation, fear, PAIN, uncertainty and worried are just a few words that can describe my mindset at the time.
That was the bad….. but as with every bad event that had happened earlier in the year, something good came from it! As I watched the video clip on the local news channel, I realized it was simply a freak accident. No one had run into me.  It was no bodies fault (unless you count my bad pass as the culprit).  The next step was to assess the damage, and if it is possible, slowly make my way back on the court. The reality of this injury was that I need surgery and I need it within a week. This game me time to consult with my father, my mother, local surgeons, surgeons at my fathers practice, the board members of my team, the president of the club, the coaches, our trainer and everybody else that I felt I needed to line things up with. This is my future, my dream on the line and NOBODY will force me into a situation that I am not confident with. After much deliberation and soul searching, I decided to have the surgery done in Holland by a reputable surgeon. I had our team trainer (who is more of a friend than anything else) willing to work with me on my rehab. The president of the club and board members were paying for the surgery. And this girl I had been casually dating even offered to help take care of me at home while I was immobilized J. I talked with Jason about the devastating news and how I was not sure if I could attend our rendezvous in Bali due to the limitations I had with my walking. In a true bro-mance manner, Jason completely understood and his utmost concern was my wellbeing and rehabilitation. 

During the 2 months in which I was forced to lay on a couch and watch my team play, I learned many things. The first and most prominent lesson I can think of is the patience I have learned. There is nothing more I can do except get better and cheer on my boys.  The second is that nothing is certain and things can be taken away without ANY warning. The third (which is an ongoing lesson) is nothing is given to you and if you want something bad enough, you have to work your @$$ off.  The fourth is that love really does find you when you are least expecting it (the girl I was “casually” dating, I am now proud to say is my girlfriend).

After 2 months of discipline and life lessons, I was able to walk again without crutches and able to make the trip to Bali to see my boy! I even got to bring along my new girlfriend!

The smart thing for me to have done was to get back to America and rehab the crap out of my leg, but I felt the opportunity to travel with some of the people I love most in the world, the dedicated rehabilitation and progress I had made (in so many facets) was enough to warrant a little break and simply enjoy myself in a tropical paradise.  Now that I am back home in America writing this blog entry, I regret nothing and am thankful for everything!
I am 27 years old and just starting my professional career.  Some would think this is too old to get started, but they are not me and they do not know the drive, passion, friends and family I have on my back. Thank you EVERYBODY for your influence whether you read this blog or not, and I will make you all proud!