Injuries take athletes out of the game they love and force them away from their team, but also encourage athletes to bring the team together and work with others to overcome their struggles. There is no worse news for an athlete than learning of a season-ending injury.
Girls’ Cross Country runner Gabi Ramos ’28 stated, “[it’s] challenging to see your team go off and run, and… you have to stay back.” Many Milton athletes turned that battle into an opportunity to make a change while improving their health. Ramos sustained a knee injury from managing a busy schedule in dance and Cross Country; after dislocating her knee and fully recovering, Ramos’s injury recurred a year later, causing her to miss the entire cross country season. During that time, she worked to support her team with spirit by “bringing a lot of decorations and food” and “being super loud…screaming stuff the entire meet.” While Ramos is close to a full recovery and can now run, she still cannot train as frequently to ensure her safety.
Volleyball player Charlotte Kosar ’28 suffered multiple knee injuries, a mild lateral patellar translation and tilt patellar tendon popping that led to a long two and a half month recovery period. Instead of using the break purely for rest, Kosar took it as an opportunity to improve the team’s community by “helping people who were playing and cheering them on and giving them pointers.” While supporting the team, Kosar had to take on her own challenges of the physical therapy process, waking up extra early in order to finish her visit before school starts and continuously practice her exercises. Despite the challenges, Kosar is finally back for the fall and ready for a great season.
Squash players Dylan Chu ’29 and Ali Hamoda ’29 also endured injuries this summer, both from a tear in their wrist. Chu tore a tendon late this spring while Hamoda tore a ligament, an injury requiring surgery. After the procedure, Hamoda faced a three month long recovery period, allowing him to rejoin the team half-way through the season. During the time he can’t play, he plans on running cross country, exercising, “cheering” and “giving advice.” When the squash season starts Hamoda plans to pursue “coaching” until his injury mends. Despite this setback, Hamoda is looking to “keep a positive outlook and do what I can on the journey” and is excited to “get back to playing and improve.”
Unlike Hamoda, Chu will be fully recovered by squash season and is preparing to begin playing in "unofficial practices” this fall when he can. Most of his recuperation happened over the summer, where he faced the struggle of resting his wrist in arm braces, along with the mental challenges of understanding to “trust in your body to know when the pain is real or when it’s just in your head.” Ready for another season, Chu is excited to rejoin the team and “guide [them] to the best possible finish at nationals.”
Another athlete who underwent intense treatment for an injury is Jackson Fava ’28, a football player who broke his hand late last June. Over the summer he required surgery and is now just coming back for football season. Fava touched on struggles of not being able to play, stating, “you don’t realize how much you miss something until it’s gone. Even stupid stuff I hate, like conditioning.” To support the team during his injury, Fava attempted to participate in ways that would keep him safe while still being with the team. He even “got to a point where [he] could…[do] the motions.” Though he “wasn’t doing any hitting… any full reps,” he could still “do conditioning, try and stay with the team physically without participating in [his] normal way.”
These Mustangs demonstrate how cheering, coaching, and providing nourishment, spirit, and support allow injured athletes to display their devotion to their teammates and their drive for success.