Returning to the Soccer Field

This season, Abby Wolf returns to the Armijo Varsity soccer team, after

recovering from surgery to her left knee. A little over a year ago, during her

sophomore year, she suffered a tear to her anterior cruciate ligament during a Club

soccer game, and spent the past ten months recovering. When asked about her

operation, she said, “I got the patellar tendon surgery where they cut part of the knee

cap and use that to repair the ACL. I also tore my meniscus, so they sutured that

down. I was in surgery for about 3 1/2 hours.”

For the first six weeks following surgery, she wasn’t allowed to put any weight

on her leg, and had to use crutches to get around school. After the first month, she

started to rehabilitate her knee. “I did lots of squats, balancing exercises, and weights

to strengthen all the muscles.” It was a long ten months of not being able to play her

favorite sport. “I missed playing with friends. It was boring sitting home and doing

nothing. I was really excited when I had my first game back was on June 21.”

Although she’s only a junior, Abby is starting to think about college and

continuing her soccer career. “I want to play in college, most likely for a school in

Southern California.” Although she plays center defender for her San Juan Club

team, she likes playing most anywhere on the field, except goalie. She started playing

at age 6, and likes all aspects of the sport, “except conditioning.” Her favorite

professional players are Becky Saurbrunn and Julie Johnston because they both play

her same position.

Now that Armijo soccer is about to start, Abby is looking forward to the season

and playing with her closest friends. “We’re going to have a good team. We have a lot

of team chemistry, since so many of us have played together over the years.” When

asked about her knee, she said, “it’s still numb from surgery, and the doctors said that

won’t go away. “Otherwise,” she said, “it feels like my other knee.”