By Mike McGraw
Executive Director
The St. Vincent Spirit of Sport Awards honor the nobility of sport in countless ways. But let’s face it – it’s the stories of the comeback athletes that so often tug on our heartstrings.
To that end, prepare to have them played like a guitar. In our latest installation from the folks at St. Vincent Sports Performance, we have a story that reveals the simple essence of an athlete.
Christina Noens, who just finished her junior year at Lawrence North High School, has been a member of the Wildcats’ swimming team for three seasons. After a successful freshman season and a great summer of training, she was looking forward to a sophomore campaign that would place her among the top swimmers in the area.
Unfortunately, that season never took place. At a club swim meet shortly before the beginning of the high school season, Christina dislocated her kneecap while dancing in a hallway with friends.
As you might imagine, that is a very painful injury. It is not, however, a particularly severe injury the first time it occurs. Christina went through two months of accelerated rehab and was back in the pool in time for the Marion County tournament held in December of that year. She had a very strong meet considering the time she had missed.
Up to this point, it is a fairly pedestrian story: athlete gets hurt, athlete commits herself to rehab, athlete comes back to competition with a flourish. On the night of that fateful county meet, however, the story became anything but normal.
Christina was in her home – dancing – and the injury occurred again. This time, though, it was more painful and more severe. Within days, she was told that surgery would be needed to stabilize the knee and keep the cycle from constantly repeating itself.
The rehabilitation was longer and tougher this time around. Such a scenario would present a serious challenge for most people. After all, for most of us there is a limit to dedication and commitment in most instances.
If Noens has such a limit, she hasn’t seen it yet. She simply went to work, spent the summer in rehab, and came back to the pool for her junior year more committed than ever before.
The result was a brilliant 11th-grade campaign for her this past winter.
It is always inspiring to see an athlete who is willing to pay the price, no matter how high that price may be. Two rehabilitations from the same injury in the space of six months certainly would qualify as a steep price.
In the case of Christina Noens, it should be pointed out, even that is not the most remarkable part of the tale. Watch the accompanying video interview with her carefully – without even knowing it, Christina reveals why her efforts were so heroic.
To her, you see, they were just natural.
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