Leading Even Through Injury

Nov. 16, 2011

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Editor’s Note: The following first appeared in the University of Iowa’s Hawk Talk Daily, an e-newsletter that offers a daily look at the Iowa Hawkeyes, delivered free each morning to thousands of fans of the Hawkeyes worldwide.

By Aaron Blau

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Megan Considine bobbleheads will be given out at tonight’s University of Iowa women’s basketball game vs. Albany. Considine was able to sneak a quick peak at her very own bobblehead and wishes she resembled tonight’s game ready doll.

The bobblehead is wearing an Iowa jersey, but Considine will be in street clothes on the sidelines.

Considine suffered a torn Achilles tendon during preseason workouts this fall, just days after being named a team captain. The former walk-on, whose hard work earned her a scholarship, was forced to trade in her No. 4 jersey for street clothes at every game, as she will miss the entire season.

“We had already lifted for the day, and we were out on the court doing conditioning,” Considine said. “We were running sprints and about halfway through the workout I felt a little pull. I didn’t think much about it. On the next sprint, I felt a tear and heard a pop. I instantly knew what had happened.”

Considine’s story has been well-documented since the first day she put on the uniform she wanted to wear so much. The Byron, Ill., native always wanted to play college basketball, but also wanted to attend the University of Iowa and follow in the footsteps of her older brothers, who were athletes at Iowa. Sean walked on to the football team and is now in the NFL, and Ryan played baseball.

After a stellar high school career, the offer to play basketball at Iowa never came. She decided to become a student anyway after falling in love with the campus while making numerous visits to watch her brothers play.

During her sophomore year, Considine started to get the basketball itch again. She was looking at schools that she could potentially play for, when the phone call she had been waiting for in high school finally came.

Lisa Bluder’s team was decimated with injuries in 2009-10 and needed more numbers on the roster. Considine quickly joined and has been on the team since.

Injuries opened the door for Considine to join the team, but now an injury isn’t allowing her to finish her senior season. It takes a strong person to take positives out of the situation, and Considine has done just that.

“This has made me really count my blessings,” Considine said. “I was so fortunate to have the opportunity to become a member of this team and eventually earn a scholarship. I wish the circumstances were different for my senior season, but I am still so lucky to have this chance.”

Along with counting her blessings, Considine has learned not to take anything for granted.

“I took simple things, like walking, for granted,” Considine said. “Everything is so much harder now. Things like going down steps or getting to class. I’m a pretty impatient person, so slowing everything down has been tough.”

Athletes are active people, and Considine is no exception. Even before she “officially” became a Division I athlete, Considine was an avid runner and never missed a workout. There were days when Considine didn’t want to get out of bed and hit the gym, but those days are now gone.

“I think every person has days where they don’t want to be active or go workout,” Considine said. “Now, I just want to go for a run so bad.”

Considine was able to be active on a regular basis thanks to the fact she had never been injured in her life. Youth basketball, high school sports or just the random pick-up basketball game, Considine never suffered an injury.

“I never thought about injuries,” Considine said. “I never missed a practice or a game because of an injury. The timing of my first injury was pretty hard to get over at first, but I’ve accepted my new role on the team.”

Considine has attacked her new role with the same intensity she brought to the court each day.

“I really try to be positive every day,” Considine said. “I think I can relate pretty well to my teammates. When I was able to play, I put in effort and enthusiasm each day in practice. It didn’t matter how much playing time I would get on the court. As a team captain, I need to bring that same energy to practice, even though I’m not playing.”

It’s pretty rare to have a former walk-on, who only averaged five minutes of playing time per game, to be named a team captain. But Considine isn’t your typical athlete. It takes a special type of athlete to maintain a leadership role through injury, especially during their final season.

Considine will always have a bobblehead to remind her of her playing days at Iowa. But it’s the scar on her leg that will always remind her how to be a leader.