Summer is supposed to be a happy time. But—for me—it was heartbreak and agony. Summer league basketball game changed my summer. And my life. Forever. POP. My ACL was torn and I knew it. Right away.

As I looked into the crowd, limping off the court, I saw my parents’ faces. They had heartbreak on their faces. As soon as the doctor gave us the verdict about the tear—“Your ACL is torn and you will be out of sports for nine months”—I knew my summer was over and the heartbreak set in. Surgery was scheduled a month later…I had never had surgery before and didn’t know what to expect.

As I sat in the hospital waiting I thought, What if my muscles don’t except the surgery? What if my heart stops? How much will my mom be worrying while I’m in surgery?
After surgery, I had physical therapy for weeks and a nine month recovery ahead of me.

Physical therapy showed my true character because I was willing to fight through pain and disappointment. It was a struggle every day and I knew the more I worked at it, the faster recovery I would have. My doctor didn’t allow me to participate in any physical activity for nine months, which for me felt like an eternity.

In that nine month span I had decided to quit playing competitive basketball for good and that I would focus on my favorite sport…golf. Golf was my true passion in life and I knew that if I worked hard enough I could succeed.

When I quit basketball and focused on golf, I found reward in a collegiate scholarship. This was a huge deal for my family and I. Everyone was excited and happy that I had reached my final goal of a collegiate scholarship.