AN athlete's worst fear could range from missing a game-winning shot to never winning a championship.
READ: Why is injury bug biting UAAP men's basketball hard?
But on a more personal level, the thought of seeing the game you love unfold before your eyes while injured, sidelined, and essentially helpless as the days go by is a living nightmare for any athlete, to say the least.
And in the constantly intensifying world of sports, injuries spare no one.
A prominent local sporting figure who has practically won it all in her field and has went through the excruciating pains of dealing with injuries is Alyssa Valdez.
WATCH:
Back in December of last year, the 'Phenom' of Philippine volleyball was dealt a right knee injury in Creamline's bronze-clinching game in the 2022 PVL Reinforced Conference.
Valdez missed six months of action, including an entire conference, upon deciding to undergo a knee procedure in February to hasten the timetable for her recovery.
While it did take time for Valdez to rediscover her winning mojo, she has since returned to be an ever-integral player and leader of the Cool Smashers' formidable core.
And as Creamline boosts its defense of the All-Filipino Conference crown, which was last won in her absence, Valdez shared her firsthand views on dealing with injuries and gave encouraging advice to athletes facing the same conundrum.
This, in light of a recent wave of injuries across various sporting leagues such as the UAAP, PVL, and PBA among many others.
"I would say it’s mentally hard to overcome those kinds of things (injuries).
"But one thing na maa-advice ko sa kanila is they have to surround themselves with people na talagang pinagkakatiwalaan din nila — mga kaibigan nila, family nila that will support them all throughout their journey and that process of being able to get back on court again and to get back sa playing field," Valdez told SPIN.ph.
Ask yourself 'why?'
At the end of the day, may it be a matter of weeks, months, or even years, the all-important thrust to overcome any injury rehabilitation spell is to remember one's purpose.
"It’s not gonna be easy. For sure, it won’t. May mga humps, may mga whens, may mga mararamdaman ka ulit na struggles kahit ma-feel mo na na-overcome mo na.
"Just hold on. I think that’s part of being an athlete. I just really pray na mas malaki yung ‘why’ nila on why they want to go back in sport than why na mag-ggive up sila dahil sa injuries," Valdez said.
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