https://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/sport/local-sport/bare-bones-townsville-stars-stephanie-kershaw-and-ellie-hampson-reveal-mental-battle-through-injury/news-story/5137bff7803cdc7e806cca7db34f20ad Overcoming obstacles is not a foreign concept for Stephanie Kershaw as she has plotted her rise to the top of Australian hockey. But the Townsville product’s conquest has not only been a physical challenge, but a battle of the mind to ensure past tragedies don’t mare her future. Two serious ACL tears threatened to derail her career, and with those came months upon months plagued by emotions which hindered her happiness and initial capacity to bounce back. The first was sustained as Kershaw began to establish herself in the Hockeyroos set up, and ultimately ended her pursuit of a maiden Olympic Games in Brazil in 2015. Now 25, the Australian star still recalls the tears shed, the confusion and the thoughts that her time in the green and gold were over before they could truly begin. “I was unsure how I would return from such a long term injury, but I was lucky I had a few girls win the team who had done ACLs and bounced back,” Kershaw said.
“But it was definitely a very tough year and very tough to be separated from the group doing your own rehab and training by yourself for the first time when you’re more accustomed to a squad and being a part of 20 something athletes training together. “It was a lot of tears, I think I was quite confused and wasn’t sure what the next steps were — there was a lot of learning on the go. “It was also tough being away from the group, you’re wondering if they just set me home because I’m not coming back. “It was a lot of mental battles that happened in the first six months.” After impressing on her initial comeback, even featuring at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Kershaw suffered her second ACL injury in 2019. Prior to the Tokyo Olympics postponement to 2021, it would have meant missing out on consecutive showcases, a feeling she admits was utterly deflating. Even on her return to the turf, Kershaw said the opening months were particularly frustrating as she struggled to get back to the form that originally garnered Australian selection. That psychological conflict became her biggest adversary. “The first four months I was back playing I had a lot of built up frustration and I just remember after one game I just cried, thinking I would never be where I was before,” Kershaw said. “But then you have to stay in the present and kind of commit to trying to get there at least, and if you don’t at least you gave it your all. “I think unfortunately being an athlete you’re always going to have some sort of injury or setback, and I think it’s having the mentality of doing the sessions today so tomorrow is easier. “Eventually I can look back and finally got to my goal, so (the key is to) stay in the present and know there’s a bigger goal.” Fellow Townsville sport star Ellie Hampson has endured a similarly tumultuous quest to the top of her field. The Gold Coast Suns AFLW defender is in her second pre-season with the club, both of which have been marred by frustrating injuries. Hampson told The Townsville Bulletin last week her mindset had changed dramatically for the 2021 season: now she is more appreciative of the bad days suffered during her rehabilitation in order to truly embrace the good. For the 19-year-old, encouraging athletes to be vocal about their concerns on the comeback trail needed to be done early to help break the negative stigma associated with mental illness and anxiety. While Hampson said sport as a whole had improved in this regard, it would require an ongoing conversation to ensure players felt comfortable disclosing confronting thoughts in a high intensity, stressful environment. “I think it’s definitely grown over the years with the awareness of mindset, but I think the more we can keep talking about it and getting the word out it will definitely make a massive change,” Hampson said. “You see people left, right and centre in the sporting world with mental health issues, and that all stems from your mindset and how you approach things. “I think being able to introduce skills at a young age will really benefit us in the future. “It’s very challenging, as much as it’s a dream for a lot of people you’re not aware of how hard it can be sometimes until you’re there. “I think getting that awareness out and preparing people for it can really help where the sport will be in the future.” Starting from a young age means being pre-emptive with an athlete’s mental wellbeing, and not seeking support and assistance when a problem arises. That is the opinion of Jillian Joyce, the former Northern Rays coach who is now the performance manager of Pride Human Performance. While Joyce believes major sporting bodies are making great strides in providing a holistic approach to rehabilitation, often the onus on getting an athlete back to their physical peak still outweighs the restoration of anxiety and other mental health concerns. In her experience, competitors of all ages were insufficiently prepared to deal with the possibility of extended stints on the sidelines — stripped of the culture they had embedded themselves in and based their identity around. Even when they returned from injury, Joyce said players could often be tentative when they first stepped onto the field or court fearful one more mishap could force them to undergo extensive rehabilitation once again. Hence why she is adamant psychological support needed to be offered prior to injuries and issues occurring — likening it to how an athlete trains in the gym to prevent physical setbacks. “Some of the struggle revolve around the injury, but there’s also a sense of grieving about a perceived sense of loss in regards to that environment that has become so important to them,” Joyce said. “Just like we strengthen the body, we’re probably not doing enough prehab prior to potential injury to prepare people for what it looks like and that it’s not the devastation they may think. “It’s equally important to invest in your mental preparation … (it’s) just changing the thought process of sport psychology, it’s not about fixing a problem and it’s no different to training your squats in the gym. “You’re giving your body a tool to cope with the pressures of being on court or on the field.”
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