BLACKSBURG – During the 2019 Virginia Tech Women's Soccer season, three of its underclassmen suffered season-ending ACL injuries – each about a month apart. All three, Holly Rose Weber, Emily Gray and Sydney Ash, are eyeing a 2020 return to the field as they continue to rehab their injuries during the current climate.
Over the next few weeks, each will be featured in a Q&A series as they answer questions about when and how it happened, how they are getting through the recovery process and how the current situation could be a blessing in disguise for them. Please enjoy the first one below with Holly Rose Weber.
She thought the worst was behind her. As a junior at Bishop Ireton High School, Holly Rose Weber suffered an ACL injury to her left knee while playing basketball and missed her junior season of soccer. On August 11 of last year, Weber scored twice in the Hokies' 2019 scrimmage against Marshall, 83 seconds apart, proving she was fully recovered and ready for her freshman campaign.
That all came to an end, though, in Tech's season-opener against Liberty, when she suffered her second ACL injury, this time to her right knee.
Q: When did your second injury happen?
HW: "It happened in the first real home game – I got to play in the two scrimmages, which was really exciting – but it was so sad that it happened in the first game and that was crazy. I went in the first half with about 20 minutes left and, literally, didn't even get 20 seconds in on the field. We were about to score; we were in that area. Jaylyn (Thompson) had the ball and crossed it and I had a player on me and we were both running where the ball was going, near the six. And it went over our heads and I cut to go get it and right then and there, that's the first thing that I did.
"My leg just snapped. And I knew exactly what happened. And it was more shocking than painful. Obviously it hurt a lot, but in my head it was just shocking. Then my teammates, they all came to me, which was sweet. Everybody was concerned – even my freshman class, they're my best friends and they were all crying on the sidelines for me. And Mikayla (Mance), she also tore her ACL twice and she came up to me, because she knows what I was going through. So, that's when it happened and it wasn't too pleasant."
Q: What were your thoughts, knowing the process of what you'd have to do to come back?
HW: "My mom is very nervous about me getting hurt ever since my first injury and she was really shaken up. I remember that we had to go into the X-ray room at Tech – I didn't even get to stay at the game – and I was just there with her and she really helped me through it. That night, I spent the night where my parents were staying. I just remember thinking it'll be nine months of this all over again when I only got one year.
"I recovered from my left ACL a lot longer than I will my right one because I wasn't rushing it. I played my full senior year after I recovered from my left ACL, but I didn't feel like myself once I was cleared for a while. Then, when I got to Tech, I was so exciting. And then I tore my right one, and I was thinking about how I only got one year to play.
"I was so happy. I felt great and I didn't think this would ever happen again. But it was pretty sad, but I had my friends there for me and my family is always there for me, helping me. And then once I got surgery out of the way, I knew exactly what I had to do. One thing I did was get these bracelets and if you flip them over, there is a quote inside. Emily has one and I gave one to Sydney. We all have one that says "ONE DAY AT A TIME" – so just take the process one day at a time even though it's not that pleasant."
Q: You've gone through this before, but you also had current teammates who went through it, your sister Lilly, in particular, how did they help you through this time?
HW: "Everybody was really helpful and caring, my sister especially. I didn't official know I tore my ACL until a couple days later, but I knew even though I didn't have the MRI yet. It was before a practice when I was told I tore it and part of my meniscus and I remember coming out of that room and even though I knew, I still got teary-eyed just hearing that it actually happened for sure. And everybody in the training room, including my sister, started hugging me and my friends and my teammates started reaching out to me and that was really helpful.
"My sister is probably my No. 1 supporter, just because she's my sister, she's on the team and she's been through it. She just knows how I'm feeling with this second one, it just sucks. But she's always encouraging me and – I've made an ACL account on Instagram and – she is always reposting it on her Instagram so that people can see what I'm doing and they can follow my recovery. I want to be in shape when I get back to school, so she's always giving me these workouts or will do them with me."
Q: All three of you are all at different stages of the recovery process, where are you currently?
HW: "I was seven months out on April 10, so that means I'm basically back to doing almost everything other than contact and being at home I can't do that anyway. But, if I was at school, it would have been really exciting because I would have been doing all non-contact and basically doing a lot in practice and not just running on the side. So, now, I'm cutting and jumping and just the normal things besides playing soccer really.
"I still can have pain, and just because I'm seventh months out it doesn't mean anything's wrong. You do a lot of jumping but if you're not really comfortable with jumping yet, or one day it just hurts, it doesn't mean that it's bad and you take a day off from jumping. You just have to realize that it's healing and you have to understand that. So, I'm seven months out. I'm doing a lot – running, sprinting, cutting – so when I get back to school, I will basically be cleared."
Q: How are you doing with recovery during these current times, not at Tech?
HW: "It's good. Since I'm out of the beginning phases, it's not as bad being home alone, because most of what I am doing, it's just a workout, really, for PT. So, it's really not that challenging for me and also since I've gone through it before, I know what certain exercises I should do. With some of my PT, I've turned them into other workouts – HIIT workouts. So, I will make a HIIT workout out of rehab stuff. But I do miss running with Dillard (Brandon Dillard, Associate Director, Strength and Conditioning for women's soccer) and being able to go in the weight room."
Q: How is school going for you during this process?
HW: "School is good. I'm just keeping track of my assignments, because I think it's probably easier to miss something here at home, but I haven't missed anything. Keeping things organized and knowing what you'll have to do for that week is important and that's what I've been doing and that's been getting me along pretty well during these online classes."
Q: With the current situations, by the time you get back to school, everyone will be around the same place – not having played competitive soccer for a couple of months. Is that encouraging to know?
HW: "I was definitely excited to start doing non-contact drills which is what I would have been doing right now. But even before, I was doing some things at practice. After my first ACL surgery, I don't think I was doing any shooting for months and this time I started shooting at six months. I took my left one really slow, which was fine, but this one, I'm trying to speed it up. Also, with playing in the ACC, that pushes you even more and I was already doing a good amount. But with any long-term injury, like an ACL injury, people always worry about getting behind and not being at their best when they come back and questioning themselves "Am I going to be good?" So, I think that knowing that everyone is now in the same situation, having to work on their own, you just have to work on yourself. You're not the only one missing this time."