By Laura Quero / Staff Writer

Being a student-athlete is not easy. By making a bad decision, in just a second, your life can radically change. At Missouri Valley, there is a big percentage of student-athletes who come here with the illusion of playing their dream sport. They give the most in every practice and game to be where they want to be, but sometimes it is not enough. Student-athletes are really exposed to dangerous situations in which they can get seriously injured. The question is: How can they deal with those injuries?

The former trainer Ivet Lloansí from Barcelona, Spain, majored in Athletic Training at Central Methodist University and is now taking a Master in Kinesiology and Rehab in Hawaii. She talks about how student-athletes can approach a situation in which they get really injured and don’t know how to deal with it.

“I would tell them that their health comes first, that we would do everything possible to make it go as quickly and easily as possible, but that there is also a necessary period of healing,” says Lloansí. “With good physical preparation made by trainers and staff, there are injuries that can be prevented,” she added.

Sophomore Rocio Figueroa from Cadiz, Spain, is a basketball player who got injured last year during practice. Just by making a bad movement, she tore her ligaments and both menisci. Figueroa went back to Spain to have surgery and after all, she is now stronger than ever.

“Surgery itself didn’t scare me; I knew the important part would come later,” said Figueroa. “The first night, the pain was horrible; I was in the hospital for two nights and three days,” she added.

In just a moment, her life changed and she had to assume reality and be mentally strong enough to overcome the situation.

“It’s something that you have to accept, the first month was really hard but my parents and friends helped me a lot,” says Figueroa. “It’s not something everybody is going to face, but if you do, you have to try to get the good part out of it,” she added.

Student-athletes most times are not prepared to face this type of adversity, but because of them occurring, they end up being more physically and mentally strong than they were before.