Redshirt sophomore forward Charia Smith never expected one post-season workout her first year would cost her an entire season.
But it did.
After going for a simple layup — considered the easiest shot in basketball — Smith landed on the back of her teammate, hyperextended her knee and tore her ACL.
Just over a year later, she was able to step back onto the court in the team’s season-opener against UCF where she shot 2-for-2 from the free throw line.
This year, there are six new faces on the team’s roster after losing their entire starting lineup from last season. Smith is one among the six returners.
Despite the Golden Eagles’ loss, checking back into the game for the first time was a win for Smith.
“It felt so good,” Smith said. “Honestly, I was just nervous because it’s been over a year since I’ve played in the game, so it was for sure nerve-racking.”
However, being an exercise physiology major throughout her recovery process added to the nerves, giving her further insight into the injury itself through her classes.
“You hear all the stats of like, after you tear it once, there’s a 54 percent chance of tearing the other leg,” Smith said. “I’m hearing all these stats, and when I was going through my recovery, that made me nervous, because that’s not what I want to hear.”
From barely being able to load her leg, to doing blood restriction movements, and now fully training 13 months later, she has trust in herself to be the player she is today. Watching the season unfold before her eyes while being on the sidelines gave her a new perspective of the way the game is played.
Being able to watch and learn from her former teammates, like former Marquette forward Liza Karlen, helped her transfer in some skills she never would’ve grasped had it have not been for her injury.
“Just like watching her work out, even, after practice work, stuff like that, I took that. And also, just like their [retiring players] vocal leadership,” Smith said.
Now, as the season continues, assistant coach Chaia Huff doesn’t see a recently injured player anymore.
Huff, who was added to the program just this season by head coach Cara Consuegra, works with the forwards. Although she wasn’t a part of the coaching staff at the time to see the injury or the rehab process, she now notices her determination and drive to get better at every single practice.
“Honestly, on the floor, nothing fazes her,” Huff said. “You can’t tell she’d had any injury; you can’t tell she’s come back from that. She’s very tough and very resilient every single day.”
Knowing that the only thing she could do last year was stand at a two-hour practice and cheer, Smith realized this season, something had to be different.
Consistency and resiliency are the two things she prides herself on. Having that as a personal goal is now visibly transferring over onto the court and is acknowledged by her coaches.
“She’s quick, she moves really well, her motor is the same and what comes with that, is her confidence,” Huff said. “She’s consistent. She’s the same every day, she brings the same intensity every day, and because she does that, all her days stack on top of each other and it makes her such a better player.”
From surgery to losing nearly all her quad muscle, to rehab and finally returning to the court, Smith’s road to recovery has been far from easy. Other than her big black knee brace, her injury is no longer clear and no longer crosses Smith’s mind.
“I’m pretty much over that hump,” Smith said. “I trusted my staff and my medical staff to really get me to where I am. So, if they had the confidence me that I could go up there and be perfectly fine, then that’s all I needed.”
A “no quiet gym” is something Consuegra preaches to her team every practice. Bringing her cheerleader sideline voice from last season to a leadership voice this season is something that has stayed consistent on her journey back.
“When I was sitting out, all I could really do was cheer and have a voice,” Smith said. “I translated that on, keeping that same voice, and like being continuous in a different way.”
This story was written by Raquel Ruiz. She can be reached at raquel.ruiz@marquette.edu or on Twitter/X @RaquelRuizMU.