On the Bench
Courtesy of Ify Mbeledogu
Injuries too often destroy an athlete’s career. Whether they cause a temporary suspension of play or the end of a career in sports, an injury is always concerning. For a certain athlete at Las Lomas, her injury is of no real concern.
Ify Mbeledogu, a senior here at Las Lomas and CSU Northridge soccer commit, chooses not to worry about the injury to her ACL and meniscus. Despite the general notoriety of a torn ACL in soccer, Ify chooses to take a more positive look.
“I have multiple friends who have torn their ACLs in the past years and they’re back and even stronger than they were before,” said Mbeledogu.
“I think this injury, in the grand scheme of things and when I look back at it, will just have been an obstacle that I had to overcome.”
Her daily life has completely changed as a result of the injury. Typically, Ify would spend four out of five weekdays practicing, then would have a tournament or game on the weekend.
Instead, she is preparing for her ACL and meniscus reconstruction surgery through physical therapy. She also claims that due to being unable to workout everyday like before, she will not be as fit.
However, she assumes everything will proceed as usual following her surgery: “ACL surgery is so common now in athletes that doctors have really learned how to make it so an athlete can come back to 100%.”
“I think I’ll be fine,” said Mbeledogu. Ify is certain that after her freshman year of college, she will be recovered and able to compete with others.
Ify will be able to play again in August 2018, around the time of her freshman year at CSU Northridge, a NCAA Division I school.
