With my eyes on Coach Hecho, I watch for the sign as the pitcher winds up. At the release of the ball, I sprint toward second base. The moment the ball is released, I sprint towards second base, and with the crack of the ball hitting the bat, I drop and slide into second. I feel my right leg go numb from the knee down.
As I roll on the ground, thousands of questions flash through my mind at once: What was that sound? Is my leg broken? Will I still be able to play?
As my coach and step-dad carry me back to the dugout, I ask them, “Do you think I will be out for the season?”
I went home and rested my leg for a few days, but it didn’t get any better. My doctor performed x-rays and MRI tests. The diagnosis? A torn anterior cruciate ligament. The recovery from this type of injury is demanding; it requires surgery and at least six months of rest and rehabilitation.
After the surgery, the therapy starts. I attend PT sessions three times a week, and on days off, I practice on my own. Every week for six months, I lift weights and work out on the elliptical machine, determined to regain my strength.

With this incident occurring in the late semester of my freshman year, I had homework to catch up on and classes to make up. I manage to bring my grades up and strive for the best. This is not going to stop me from achieving my goals.

Resulting form this, I decide to go into physical therapy. I have become familiar with the lifestyle of physical therapists and surgeons. It has gained my interest and it is now my goal to graduate college with a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. Tearing my ACL seemed like a mishap at first, but now as I look at it, I am. It has lead me into the direction of the medical field where I can help people with their hard times.