It has been three weeks and two days since I damaged my knee; progress was coming along nicely and I returned to training two days ago, intending to take it easy. I had been jogging the previous two days and noticed no pain or stiffness following the exertion. I went to training and did not manage to complete the warm-up. Talking to one of the tight-ends before the session began, I said I felt around seventy-five percent fit - an over-optimistic figure.
I finished the jog and stretches without pain, attempting ten yard high-knees was the first instance of irritation - I attempted to continue as it did not hurt that badly. The next warm-up drill was a five yard backpedal, five yard sprint, ten yard backpedal and a ten yard sprint. I complete the backpedal without pain but when attempting to change directions my knee feels weak and a pain spreads through my knee and calf; I finish the repetition and sit down on the damp grass instead of returning to the line. The quarterback enquires about my status, I tell him I am unable to continue.
I walk from the drill area towards the pile of bags to deposit my helmet. The starting center is watching over the bags, he is not training for some reason, "You have the look on your face of someone who thought they were fit but they're not". He is right, I imagine I looked like a child that had dropped their ice-cream within seconds of receiving it from the ice-cream van window and is now watching a dog devour the cold mound from the floor. I stay to watch the rest of the training session, midgies feast on my flesh.
The penultimate game of the regular season is eleven days away, the final game is the following Sunday; we have soundly beaten both of the remaining opponents and I would likely see some game-time if fit. The games in the play-offs will not be easy and it is doubtful that I would see the field. If we win-out and get promoted to division one, the level of competition will improve next year and it will be difficult for me to see the field; if we lose in the play-offs, the season is over and there will be no more football until April.
My season looks like it is over, If it is my stats would be: targeted once, one drop. These stats would be an improvement from last year, but I felt like I had improved greatly - sadly I have nothing to show for it. A foot/groin problem took six weeks of my preseason from me, I have been carrying a shoulder injury since the mid-point of the season, and it appears this knee injury has finished me off. Last year I escaped unscathed apart from shin-splints in the off-season, I have been paid back with interest. I am disappointed and disheartened but I may yet be fit to play some part in the remainder of the season.
