Few things are more devastating to an athlete than a long-term injury. Surgeries, crutches and intense rehabilitation sessions are just a few things an injured player has to face. But the road to recovery is also marked with blessings in disguise.
"My grandpa says, 'Sports teaches our kids lessons we don't have the heart to teach them ourselves,'" said senior Lindsay Emery. Emery, a defender for the women's soccer team, has learned many lessons of the painful variety. She missed her entire sophomore season with a torn ACL in her right knee, and her entire senior season with a dislocated right ankle and broken fibula. Although torn ACLs are not usually caused by impact, Emery's sophomore season ended five minutes into her first game when an opponent took out her knee. Emery initially wondered if the injury was God's way of telling her to quit soccer, but she quickly realized her injury was a good opportunity to learn how to fight for something. "What would it say about my faith if I hit one speed bump and just decided to give up?" Emery said. "It was a huge lesson for me to learn." Emery underwent surgery to repair her knee in October, and although crutches were never necessary, countless doctor appointments in Indianapolis for rehab exercises were. Hard work and determination paid off for Emery, and by February she was able to begin participating in practices. But it was another few months before she was going at 100 percent. After a successful junior year establishing herself as a starter, Emery's senior season ended before it began when she hurt her ankle rolling over the ball during a preseason practice. This injury was even more serious than the last, and surgery included the insertion of a metal rod and pins in her leg. Emery needed crutches this time and is still several months away from a full recovery. "I was disappointed not to play this year, but the injury gave me more time to devote to being co-director for Spring Break Missions and to friends and family," Emery said. "There's always something else to do." If anyone on Taylor's campus can empathize with Emery, it's senior football player Jake Van Gilse, who has donned a boot cast for about half of his time in Upland. Van Gilse first fractured his tibial sesamoid, a miniscule bone on the underside of the foot, his senior year of high school. The kicker felt it snap again during a preseason practice his first year at Taylor and decided to redshirt his freshman season. After spending his sophomore year in rehab, Van Gilse felt completely healthy his junior year. He was beginning to start, when he felt another snap during a conditioning drill. "I was able to play the rest of the year on it broken, but I was living off ibuprofen," Van Gilse said. Although Van Gilse had successfully avoided surgery for four years, last summer he and his doctor realized surgery was the only option left. After taking the majority of the season to heal, Van Gilse was healthy enough to suit up for the last game of the year, ending his football career on a high note. Although Van Gilse's injuries prevented him from accomplishing his goals on the field, he does not regret his decision to join the football team. "I wouldn't ever trade the team camaraderie I've enjoyed and the life lessons I've learned," Van Gilse said. Van Gilse has developed a sense of humor about his injuries and has embraced his status around campus as "the kid with the boot." "I know some people who have me in their cell phones as 'Jake boot,'" Van Gilse said. "I've kind of become an icon." Both Van Gilse and Emery emphasized the positive impact an injured player can have on a team. "(My injuries) gave me a unique opportunity to be a cheerleader, constant encourager and positive force for the team," Van Gilse said. Emery emphasized the importance of attitude. "Teammates are going to notice when you're working really hard to get back on the field," she said. "My teammates told me I encouraged and motivated them, which in turn motivated me even more. Attitude is everything."
