Piper Thomas is a junior at Penn and plays midfielder for Penn Girls Soccer. However, a tough ankle injury delayed her progress to her success. For an athlete as dedicated as Thomas, being sidelined was devastating. However, her determination to get back on the field never wavered.
Thomas found out she would be in a boot and excluded of practice and games for a uncertain amount of weeks. She hurt her ankle at a training session back in the winter. She tried to keep going and ignore the problem, till one day she couldn’t.
“Spring club season was about to start so I really didn’t want to be out during this time,” Thomas said.
Luckily it was her left foot which is her non-dominant. She was out for a short period of time, but was still devastated. Thomas bought a brace to support her ankle which she says definitely helped her foot and her trust in her recovery. She claims that getting back into the field was hard at first, as she was scared and hesitant to use her ankle/foot again.
However, instead of letting the injury define her, Thomas used it as motivation to come back even stronger. Her first practice back on the field and she still felt pain. She felt discouraged and frustrated. During her first practice she had to use the inside of her foot.
“That definitely hurt but over time my strength came back,” Thomas said.
Each day, she pushed through the frustration of not being able to play, focusing on the bigger goal—her return to the game she loves.
During her recovery, Piper’s mindset was key. She kept her competitive spirit alive by still trying to keep active on her feet.
“I did passing and touches by myself to help,” Thomas said.
Even at practices she still took precautions to not get re-injured. This preparation helped her stay connected to soccer, even when her body couldn’t be on the field.
Thomas’ perseverance paid off. Slowly but surely, she regained her strength and agility, and when the time came, she was ready to step back into her role. Her comeback wasn’t just about healing physically; it was a testament to her resilience and unwavering passion for the game. Now, every time she steps on that field, she gets a reminder of the hard work and determination that carried her through the toughest moments of her journey.
