Against all odds, Greg LeMond came back, not just to compete, but to win. Greg went on to win both the senior world championships and the Tour de France in both 1989 and again in 1990! Greg's comback earned him the ABC Wide World of Sports Athlete of the Year, Sport's Illustrated Sportsman of the Year as well as a trip to the White House to meet the President of the United States.

Performance Principle

You hope that it never happens to you, but it does. You have sustained an injury and you will be out of practice and competition for a while. As an athlete, your number one concern is getting back to full strength as soon as possible so that you can return to training and competition. Injuries just don't create physical damage, but psychological damage as well. The injury can affect your thoughts, your emotions, your attitude and your self-image.

As a competitive athlete, you continually face challenges that you and your coach must attempt to overcome. The same is true with injuries. Rather than viewing the injury as a crisis that must be endured, it should be seen as a challenge that you and your athletic trainer will strive to conquer. The injury can be viewed as yet another test of your desire and determination.

Accept Responsibilility

The injury happened to YOU - not your coach, your trainer, your teammate, or your parents. It is up to you to assume responsibility for your rehabilitation. People are there to help you, but the bottom line is the hard work is up to you. You need to ask yourself, "What do I need to do to get back in competition? By taking responsibility and accepting the task at hand, you are putting yourself closer to the goal.

Ask Questions About Your Injury

Not knowing what to expect regarding your injury can cause unnecessary fear and anxiety. It is important to ask your doctor or athletic trainer questions such as:

• Exactly what type of injury do I have?
• How long can I expect to be out of practice and competition?
• What is the purpose of the treatment I am receiving?
• What should I expect during rehabilitation?
• Are there parts of practice, conditioning, and strength training that I can still participate in that won't aggravate my injury?

By understanding the injury and knowing what to expect durning the rehabilitation process, you will feel less anxiety and a greater sense of peace. Also, if you know in advance that there will be ups and downs in your rehabilitation, you will be able to deal with these situations when they occur.

As a competitive athlete you have learned to be committed to the sport, how to maintain a positive focus, and how to concentrate on your strengths and abilities. The same holds true for injuries. To enhance the rehab process, you need to be committed to overcoming your injury by showing up for your treatments, working hard, and listening and doing what your doctor and/or athletic trainer tells you to do. You also need to monitor what you are thinking and saying to yourself regarding the injury and the rehab process. Your self-talk is important. Are your thoughts negative and self-defeating? To get the most out of your daily rehab, you need to work hard and maintain a positive attitude. Remain focused on what you need to do.

Seek Social Support

A very common response after an injury is for the athlete to isolate themselves from teammates, coaches, and friends, because they feel these relationships have changed now that they are not "part of the team." It is very important to maintain the relationships and try to keep things as they were prior to the injury.

Your teammates and coaches can be a real source of strength when you become frustrated. They are there to listen when you need to vent some anger, or can offer advice or encouragement during the rehab. Just knowing you don't have to face the injury alone can also be a tremendous comfort. So, go to practice; remain around the locker room, and the weight room. Be visible by being an active member of the team.

Identify Goals and Strategies

In athletics, you need to have goals to be successful. Goal setting helps you know what you need to do in developing a plan to move in the right direction. In rehabilitation of your injury, it also helps to set goals. By setting goals related to your recovery, you will have something to focus on each day in making your comeback. This will help keep you motivated. By monitoring your goals you will also be able to notice small improvements in the rehab of your injury. You will feel more confident that you are getting better and improving. It will help to work with an athletic trainer to set realistic goals that are in line with each stage of your rehab. Most athletes have a tendency to try to speed-up the recovery by doing too much too soon.

Other Support Services

Use your mental skills. Mental skills will also aid in your ability to rehab the injury. Skills such as relaxation, imagery and positive self-talk have been found to be rather effective in the recovery process.

Physical training specialists are available to design workout programs to maintain your cardiovascular conditioning level and your sports skill level during your rehab. Also, modified strength training and exercise programs can be designed based upon your specific injury. Make use of these support services as they are available to assist you in your recovery.

God's Performance Principle

Dealing with adverse situaltions can be one of the greatest tests an athlete faces. A serious injury, an illness, or other circumstances can dash your hopes and dreams. But God sees the bigger picture. He can use your athletic career as a laboratory to accomplish great things in your life if you let Him. It has been said that, "Tough times never last, but tough people do."

Most of us would like to believe that we can somehow get through life without experiencing tough times. Yet, reality and Scripture proves that at some time, in some way, we will each have to deal with adversity.

You see Jesus loves you. He died on the cross as a payment for your sins. He cares greatly for you as a loving father does. In no way does He want you to go astray and suffer needlessly. Sometimes that adversity may be the seed to recapture your attention. For God wants us to learn from adversity.

Dealing with adversity as a Christian athlete can be much easier if you look past the adversity itself and see the possible results of your trial. This does not mean that your pain will disappear, but it can give you the strength, hope and the comfort you need in order to persevere.

"The Lord will sustain him on his sickbed and restore him from his bed of illness." (Psalm 41:3)