First Match Back & Testing in Santry

Hey,
Getting back to football training and contact was absolutely no problem and actually really enjoyable from the start. I adapted a pretty positive mindset and because I had been re-assured I knew my knee was ready for the contact and it didn't phase me at all.

A couple of weeks after that I went back to camogie contact and it was an entirely different experience. It was all going well until we played a modified game. Basically the keepers could only pass the ball to midfield players and the forwards had to stay inside a certain zone so movement was quite restricted. I found myself getting increasingly nervous as I was watching the play and going over different scenarios in my head (falling, getting hit etc) because the ball wasn't coming my way much. As soon as the ball actually came my way then I wasn't too bad, sluggish and turning slow but overall not too bad. One of the girls noticed I wasn't being myself and it was only when she said it to me that I actually realised my stomach felt physically sick at the thoughts of contact. By the third set I got over it a little and felt somewhat more comfortable.

The following Monday I had my first match in a year. I was looking forward to it all year really ha and felt pretty good and fresh going in to the warm up. I wasn't going to be starting but I found that my knee felt so good in the warm up that I was a little apprehensive at the idea of re-warming up before coming on (if I was to come on). It was all the one anyway and I came on before half time, I made a lovely run for a ball over the top into space when I came on.... It looked lovely in my head but in reality the ball dropped short, corner back got the ball soloed out and set up a point haha... All I could then hear was "You've her in your pocket", "Same again all day" haha, as positive as you like. I got into it a small bit more after that, I was in by no means great but overall I was fine ha, sluggish and rusty but it was pretty unreal to be back playing fully!

On the 21st of August I had my final set of testing in Santry. I had a lot to work on from my 6th month testing and had felt pretty dejected after it with the amount of work I had put in so I tried to have a more open outlook on this one. To be fair it went very well, I had a 31% deficit in my right hamstring which has now decreased to 6%, my quads differed by 6% at my last testing and are now 100% symmetrical and my jumping and turning has all improved.

I've been fully cleared by santry to return to playing which is nice considering I cleared myself a few weeks back ha :).
My goals post testing are to:
1. Improve my general hamstring strength.
2. Improve my jumping ability & springiness in my right leg
3. Improve my general fitness levels!

Onwards and upwards from here please God!

Naomi