It was the first week of Ultimate season. On paper, we were arguably one of the best teams in the league with leaders that helped our new players understand the game, and prepare everyone for our first games. The first two went really well: We won both with little difficulty and personally I played hard on both sides of the disc and was rewarded for it which was nice. Both games were well-spirited. My hat's off to Massive and the Overs.
The last game versus the Knights was our toughest game of the day. The team was mostly Korean players, some of the best in all of Korea. The game was very back and forth, we put a hard cup on their offense which didn't go to well after they got some swings going and getting the popper involved they were marching fast and frequent. While our team had the disc the Knights really struggled to force turnovers, we kept playing smart and trusting our handlers. The game started to get intense after the first couple points, both teams realized the importance of possession.
From here on I entered what I would call "the zone." Here I am 100% in the game mentally I know my jobs and stick to that. Time doesn't matter, nor do small details. So if you saw this happen and there's something you don't remember or an inaccurate fact then let me know.
For those who don't know, Ultimate is a self-regulated game meaning players make their own calls and consequently there can be arguments about certain calls. At points, players were looking at these moments of contact (fouls) with a magnifying glass. There was one foul called by our captain and the opponent who committed the foul guffawed at the idea that he committed a foul. Within the next two minutes we were back on defense and the Knights were swinging the disc. The disc got caught in the wind and was up for grabs. I knew I could get it and ran up from my position. The handler on the team was tracking it as well but I had more momentum and bowled him over going up for the disc. I smacked the disc down and when the handler came down he was rolling on the ground cradling his ribs. I took a knee and felt around for bruises on my body but the top of my left ear was throbbing, that was it. We clapped him to his feet and he kept playing on.
The game's intensity continued to pick up with the best of both teams going head to head in coverage. Cutting from the back of the stack, I was lined up for a break-side catch. The disc was right at my chest and when I'm in the zone peripheries aren't checked my mind was just thinking "disc, disc, disc." But I was blindsided by the Knights best player and hit the ground. After I stood up it felt like my shoulder was charlie-horsed. I took an injury time out and walked out of the game on my own strength. As I was walking, calling for ice, I tried rolling my shoulder and that's when I felt a pop. Shoulder separation, no biggie. I'll go to the hospital and have a doctor pop it back in after the game.
I don't remember the rest of the game, my team, Gang Green, ended the game with a hammer (they win games apparently) then we took a team photo. I took the subway back into the city and hopped off at the hospital by my school. I sat down and gave them story. They took me in for x-rays and found the clean break in my clavicle. The doctor told me I needed to be hospitalized and see a specialist the following day.
After hearing the news, the length of time I would be in the hospital, and the fact I won't be moving my arm til the new year, I was totally crushed. Goodbye ultimate season, goodbye guitar, hello one-armed life. It was tough and I kept playing the sequence over in my head blaming the player on the Knights for this. At one point I deduced there was a bounty on my head after laying out his guy, and the hit he laid out on me was retribution. Even if that was true, I don't really care, it's his way of standing up for his team, what happened happened. I can keep replaying it in my head and ponder the what ifs or just accept this and move-on. Maybe its like a break-up it sucks but everyday you get stronger and get your composure back and now, after a week here, I'm confident that everything is going to be all right.
I can't say that's only because of me meditating on this and moving on but my outside food providers and visitors have been a ray of sunshine. Once again, to everyone who visited or sent me a "get well something-or-other" message I always appreciate your good spirits... or beer, whatever you drop off.
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