28 - My Whiplash Heatstroke Fifa ‘94 Concussion

In today’s episode, I tell the story of the first game I ever voluntarily subbed myself out of a game: the day I got my concussion. “Every time I play, it takes a few moments to get fully acclimated to the flow of the game. But in the first few minutes, something felt especially off. I received the ball on the left flank and sprinted down the line to take my opponent on end line. When I approached my opponent, I instructed myself to lunge right then explode left. A maneuver I’ve performed countless times. But my body’s response was significantly delayed. My opponent easily stripped the ball away. I felt like I was extracted from real life and placed into a scratched disk of FIFA ’94, with the screen lagging and 10 pound dumbbells shackled to my ankles. Every action required all my energy and invoked intense emotions. I didn’t know what was happening. My self-engrained rugged, relentless mentality willed me to keep playing, but my body simply wouldn’t let me. The doctor asked if I wanted to go into the locker room where it was quieter and darker. I did.  I got up and my assistant coach asked me if I was alright to keep playing. “Yes” , the conditioned mentally-tough part of my brain automatically responded. But my body ignored my ego and kept walking towards the locker room tunnel.” P.s For great resources and concussion recovery support check out  Headwayfoundation.com      Share the love If you haven’t already, I would be so very grateful if you rated and left me a review of the podcast. It takes two minutes! Here’s what to do. Click HERE Click “view in itunes” Click the “ratings and reviews” tab Click “write a review” and show me love <3 Resources Click HERE to become a part of Friday Feelz Click HERE for a list of the 10 books I believe ever female athlete MUST read. Click HERE  to be the first to know when a new podcast or article drops, and receive other exclusive content