Madison Clayton

My entire soccer career I had never been injured before, after playing for 14 years. I graduated high school early to start my college career at Pitt in January 2018. I played the spring with the soccer team, and got a lot of playing time. I was so excited for the fall so I could play in the ACC. In my first official college game it was the second half and I cut really hard on my left leg. I immediately tried to run, but fell down to the ground. I started crying because deep down I knew I was done for the season. I was looked at by two different doctors and was told I was fine, and would be playing a couple weeks. I was running on the treadmill, laps around the field, and doing all the rehab to get back out there. I didn't feel like myself, so after almost two weeks we got an MRI. The results were what some of my teammates and family excepted, a torn ACL. I was so crushed by the news because my whole life I had been healthy and playing soccer constantly, I didn't know myself without soccer. Now it has been 8 months going on 9 months in June, which I will be cleared to play again. It has definitely been the hardest thing I have been through. I wouldn't change it for a second because I learned a lot about myself through this injury, and it gave me a different perspective on life.