From Injury to Opportunity: How Setbacks Can Build Resilience in Athletes

Injuries can shatter an athlete’s dreams in an instant, but they also provide an opportunity to build something even stronger—resilience

One of the pivotal times in my playing career was when I sustained a major injury. I had minor injuries in my career before but this one was different. I was set to miss a significant amount of time.

At the start of my redshirt junior year, I suffered a torn labrum (amongst a whole host of other things that I won’t bore you with) in my shoulder. This was my first time having to have surgery for an injury and my first time going through an extensive rehabilitation process. Through this injury, I learned quite a bit about myself along with my position of what it meant to be an athlete.

Waking up from the surgery, I remember hardly being able to use my arm without being in intense pain. Basic things, like learning how to maneuver my dominant arm, had to be re-learned. I found myself at a crossroads. At this point, I decided that I didn’t want just to make a comeback, I wanted to excel past the point that I was at pre-injury- mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Ironically, I believe that this injury had a silver lining in that it allowed me to learn so much about myself.

Through this injury, I was able to have a deeper connection with my teammates and share the gospel with them (I will write more on this later). I was also able to build a level of resilience that I didn’t know I had. For context, before this injury occurred, I was deeply ingrained in who I was as an athlete. The injury forced me to take a step back and think about who I am now that the sport is gone. Although my career wasn’t ended from this injury, the tremors of athletic identity foreclosure loomed for me. I realized that I need to understand more about who I am in relation to my sport.

Resilience is defined as the process and outcome of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences. My difficult situation in facing an injury that would have me out for up to 8 months was mentally taxing because I was unable to do what I had routinely done for the majority of my life. However, instead of looking at the injury as a roadblock in the journey, it soon became another lesson to be learned. I turned resilience into a skillset. By facing and accepting that adversity is part of every hero’s story, I was able to develop a mental toughness to go through the grueling parts of rehab.

My environment around me also helped tremendously. My family and friends were there to support but my teammates and coaches often saw me at some of my lowest moments. When I desired to be with the team again and to practice and play in the games, they often encouraged me and helped me with my patience through the process. A word of advice that I would give to anyone facing similar circumstances is to find a supportive community that knows and values your goals.

I want to leave you all with some practical steps if you are facing some sort of setback in your life currently. Whether it is from injury or something else, these tips should be useful for you in your journey:

• Focus on What Can Be Controlled

  • athletes need to focus on aspects of recovery that they can control such as physical therapy, nutrition, and mental health.

• Setting New Goals

  • Set small, achievable goals to maintain a sense of progress during recovery, such as strength goals or mental training milestones.

• Learning Patience and Perspective

  • Stepping away from competition may give the athlete a broader perspective on their journey and may give the athlete more reasons as to why they enjoy and love their sport.

Injuries can be incredibly challenging, both physically and mentally, but they also offer a unique opportunity for growth and resilience. While the initial pain and frustration are undeniable, it’s important to see these moments as more than just setbacks—they are powerful opportunities for athletes to strengthen their character and mental fortitude. By adopting a positive perspective, athletes can use their recovery period to learn patience, set new goals, and discover new strengths within themselves. Coaches and parents play a crucial role in this process, helping to reframe injuries as a temporary challenge that can ultimately contribute to the athlete’s long-term development, both on and off the field.

As you reach the end of this journey through understanding resilience, take a moment to reflect on your own past setbacks—whether they were injuries, losses, or moments of doubt. Think about the challenges you faced and how each one shaped you, not only as an athlete but as a person. Recognize the strength you gained from those experiences, the lessons you learned, and the resilience you built. Remember, each setback is an opportunity to grow stronger, and the true mark of an athlete lies not just in their victories, but in how they rise after every fall. Embrace the growth, and continue pushing forward, stronger than before.