We are lucky to have another guest blogger…this time Aria sharing her experience with how valuable being part of a team is, especially in time of injury!
My name is Aria Moshief and I am a rising senior at Wellesley High School. I have been an athlete since I was 2 years old, and I have gotten many injuries since then. From ages 8-11, I would have injuries that would put me back in physical therapy every 6 months. From those injuries, I’ve learned to know when to stop, especially with the help of teammates. Being on any team, you know how to communicate, confide, and trust each other. My worst injury occurred when it was my first year on a competitive dance team. I was 12 years old dancing on a team with girls who were 16-18 and I felt a ton of pressure to be able to dance the way they do. By pushing myself too hard, I inflamed my hip flexor and tore my labrum in my hip. This injury caused me to have to leave the dance team, and never return to a studio again. However, I was able to join the dance team at school and compete without the same level of intensity there was at my studio. Joining the team as 1 of 3 freshmen, I was nervous as to how the upperclassmen would react to me playing it safe with some things that could potentially re-injure myself. The more bonding and talking we did, the more I felt comfortable with dancing at my own ability. The girls were completely understanding of my injury and never pressured me into trying something that could end up badly. Trusting teammates is a huge deal, especially when you don’t really know anyone on the team. Instead of feeling the need to compete with my teammates, I felt comfortable with identifying my limits rather than trying to ignore them. Being on the team for my entire high school career, I have met tons of girls who have different abilities, and level of talent. The team is always so supportive of my decisions to sit out of a practice if I’m in pain, or if I need to take a break. No matter the injury, you will always have people that will support you throughout your recovery process. And having that support system will make the recovery even better!