Our Stories

Reflections about life on the sidelines written by totalteammates like you…
Retired

The Question

It comes in a lot of forms. “So, what do you do with all your time now?” “Are you coming back next year?” “Do you miss it?” It comes in many forms, but always the underlying question is there: “So…who are you now?”

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Injury

Patient Notes: Like I Never Left

7 months post injury, 210 days post injury, 197 days post-op It’s been a while since I last wrote; I think these pieces have been more important for me than you. And I think that being back on skis, feeling as though I was finally breaking down the barriers I

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Retired

With the Helmet Off

It’s often crossed my mind that I should write about my experience as a college athlete. Or, rather, my experience managing that identity when it all came to an end. The reality is that I have procrastinated time and time again sitting down to write something I knew would be

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Retired

New Beginnings

Growing into an adult often makes me long for the good ole days of being a naïve little kid who’s biggest worry was whether or not the neighborhood kids were home to play. But at the same time, the transition also continues to me lead towards more impactful experiences that

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Injury

Patient Notes: Part 4

82 days post-op, 99 days post injury Perhaps this has been the hardest installment of this series to write. That is part of why it has taken me so long. It seems I have hit the middle stage of recovery: the in between part where I am both progressing and

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Injury

Changing Course

The Friday before finals week, I decided to take the day to go skiing at Whiteface to let off some steam before the stressful week to come. My friends and I made the 3 hour trek to the mountain and had an absolutely amazing day on the snow together. On

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Injury

Patient Notes: Part 3

57 days post injury, 40 days post op, 6 days post second op When I announced my injury, I stated that the coming months would be excruciating—excruciating in the mental sense. Thinking back now, I didn’t know all of the ways that this would test me. I still can’t say

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Retired

Football? It’s Complicated…

Initially, I was not fond of the game of football. I vividly remember my first football season; I was a short, fat, uncoordinated, 6th grader that was terribly allergic to grass. Add insult to injury, our team was utterly awful and finished the season with one win and eight losses.  The

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Injury

Patient Notes: Part 2

17 days post crash, day of surgery… Pain is temporary. 17 days ago my life was sliced open, today my body was. I am beginning to hope that both of those wounds may now begin to heal. When I was first diagnosed with my ACL tear they told me that

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