I seriously, seriously appreciate the honesty that athletes approach me with when they want advice on injuries. I can hear the genuine fear of falling behind in their voices. Having faced that same fear myself, I want to offer insight into the proactive steps athletes can take, even when it’s tempting to sit on the sidelines and wait for clearance to wrestle again.

When injuries push your goals up against the wall, how do you keep from giving in to the disappointment? How do you make proper decisions about your health when you’re not sure which path to take? It felt like the wind was taken out my sails when I went from being the previous year’s University World Champion, to ending my first match at the qualifying national tournament due to an elbow injury. However, with the support of high level medical teams, family, and teammates, I got through a tough part of my career and was able to continue wrestling. This is my story about the first major injury of my wrestling career.