Senior captains bounce back from injury together
10/29/2009 1:45:00 PM | Women's Soccer
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Any injury is a setback for athletes who strive for excellence. An injury requires time away from the team and time away from the sport that has meant everything to them. Such obstacles are never easy to fully recover from. However, the women’s soccer captains have not only recovered but demonstrated unbelievable success after dealing with an athlete’s worst nightmare: a torn ACL. Their resilience bonded them as captains and has helped lead the team to success.
Hailey Coonrad battled Villanova in the second game of her junior season when she made one wrong cut and was left with a season ending knee injury. Natalie Hojnacki tore her ACL in her first Patriot League game as a freshman, and then after returning in the spring, she tore it again while crossing the ball in practice.
Despite these injuries, both captains have had impressive success upon their return to the field. Coonrad, who is a three-year captain, started nine games last season and has started every game as the anchor of Lehigh’s defensive unit in 2009. Hojnacki came back after being out her entire sophomore year and has started in all 34 of Lehigh’s games in the last two years, totaling six goals over the last two seasons.
“It was one of the most painful things I’ve ever experienced,” Coonrad recalls. “I went through hours of rehab every day, and it was challenging. It was hard to stay positive, but I had to do it to get back and be there for my team.”
Hojnacki, who remembers not even being able to lift her leg, shared much of Coonrad’s sentiment, “It is terrifying to not be able to do the simplest things. Recovery, even though it required a lot of physical work, is very mental. I really had to keep my focus, push through it and stay positive.”
Sharing an experience so physically and mentally draining forced both captains to grow as players and as leaders. The adversity they faced individually allowed Hojnacki and Coonrad to fearlessly lead their team through the hardest of battles.
“Setbacks are tough, but you have to keep pushing through it,” says Coonrad. “In my rehab days on the sideline I had to learn to transition into a vocal leader. And as difficult as the injury was, I was forced to learn those skills."
Hojnacki, who had suffered three consecutive ACL injuries, developed an unwavering spirit and kept pushing on when most would have thrown in the towel.
“Natalie demonstrated an incredible work ethic which pushed her to recover from three significant injuries,” said Lehigh head coach Manny Oudin. “She established a great deal of respect with her teammates.”
Together, Hojnacki and Coonrad experienced growth in their leadership but also a renewed passion for the game. Hojnacki says she and Coonrad share an even stronger love for the game after having it almost taken away.
Coonrad agrees, “We know how valuable it is so we are able to share that sense about soccer. We are both very proud of where we have come and what we’ve been able to accomplish this year.”
The relentless work ethic that was required to come back from the captains’ injuries is the same work ethic that makes them such great team leaders.
“I couldn’t ask for better role models: in the classroom and on and off the field,” says Oudin. “The expectation for the entire women’s soccer team is high. The team has witnessed the obstacles that their captains faced. And the team shares a greater sense of accountability and work ethic because of it.”
In what will surely be a great demonstration of athleticism and leadership, Coonrad and Hojnacki will lead the Mountain Hawks against arch rival Lafayette in the regular season finale Saturday night at the Ulrich Sports Complex. Game time is set for 7 p.m. and all the action can be seen live at Lehighsports.com.
