“ I don't really want to be who I was before I was injured. In a lot of ways, I'm thankful to a place that just completely broke me, just brought me to some really low points. That's when I was able to grasp my faith or what it was, which is my personal worth. It has absolutely nothing to do with a soccer field or anything of the sort. Just learning that my worth and my fulfillment comes solely through my faith has been something that will go so much farther through life than soccer ever could.” Civana Kuhlmann started playing soccer at a young age and quickly excelled, consistently playing on the youth national team beginning in eighth grade. From childhood through her sophomore year at Stanford, she faced no serious injuries. But that all changed when she tore her ACL during preseason before her junior year. After surgery, she had to support the team in a whole different way as they reached, and then won, the NCAA championship. After that, Civana went through several additional procedures for her meniscus and hips; she’s now had a total of seven surgeries. Throughout, she faced pivotal moments of learning to advocate for herself in the face of physical pain. As skilled as they are, doctors aren’t inside your body, she points out—athletes must trust their intuition and communicate their needs during recovery. Through her physical and mental setbacks, including the emotional impact of losing her friend Katie Meyer to suicide, Civana learned to redefine herself on and off the pitch. But though she realized her worth had nothing to do with her skills as an athlete, her love for the game persisted. Ultimately, she was drafted into the National Women’s Soccer League, where she’s currently a free agent. Call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and free, confidential support 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Resources/links: Civana’s Instagram and TikTokThe first annual Coalition of Athletic Communities for Mental Health conference on Feb. 26-27, which Civana is helping organize A huge thank you to LEVER Movement, the exclusive sponsor of season 8 of The Injured Athletes Club podcast! The LEVER system is an innovative way to reduce your body weight, and the impact on your joints, while exercising on a treadmill. Use the code “TIAC20” to get 20% off your purchase. You can subscribe to The Injured Athletes Club on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Audible, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts, and if you like what you hear, please leave us a rating or a review in Apple podcasts. That helps other injured athletes find the show. To access more resources for injured athletes: Buy Rebound: Train Your Mind to Bounce Back Stronger from Sports Injuries —now available as an audiobook!Buy Injured Athletes Club merchandise, including hoodies, stickers, patches, journals, mugs, hats, and gift cardsAccess webinar videos, mental rehab e-courses, and more great resources for injured athletes while supporting our workJoin The Injured Athletes Club mailing list, for news and updatesJoin The Injured Athletes Club Facebook group, for support and camaraderieLike The Injured Athletes Club Podcast Facebook page, for the latest episodesEmail us at hello@injuredathletesclub.com with questions, guest suggestions, or other feedback DISCLAIMER: This content is for educational & informational use only and & does not constitute medical advice. Do not disregard, avoid or delay obtaining medical or health related advice from your health-care professional because of something you may have heard in an episode of this podcast. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with a qualified medical professional for proper evaluation & treatment. Guests who speak on this podcast express their own opinions, experiences, and conclusions, and The Injured Athletes Club podcast hosts nor any company providing financial support endorses or opposes any particular treatment option discussed in the episodes of this podcast and are not responsible for any actions or inactions of listeners based on the information presented. The use of any information provided is solely at your own risk.
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1 h et 17 min
28 min