Trying to figure out a plan for college is difficult. It is hard to find a place that has all of your interests and needs and can become a place you can call home for the next four years.

Ally Madigan, senior at VHS, had her plan. Ally was a two year captain of the girls varsity soccer team, and it was clear she had the ability to play at the next level. Her leadership mentality and passion for the game had aided her decision to pursue a career at the collegiate level.

Ally had her pick of schools after being recruited by numerous coaches and programs. Her final decision about her school was ultimately going to be based on what was going to fit best for her athletically.

But plans change.

In what would be the last game of the 2018 season, Ally suffered a knee injury. Unlike many other times where she might tweak a knee and get right back up, this time was different; the injury was serious and she could not continue in the game.  Her last season at VHS had come to an unfortunate and unexpected end.

Unsure of the extent of the injury, Ally’s doctor had to wait for the swelling in her knee to go down before doing an MRI. And so Ally waited, spending her time on crutches and going to physical therapy.

When she was finally able to get the MRI, she learned that she had torn her PCL and fractured her tibial plateau. With those results, Ally knew that her soccer career was over.

To Ally, this was a major setback in the college process. Her only plan had been to look for schools through the soccer aspect. Now she had to look at things very differently.

She stated, “My whole college search really changed after I got hurt. Not knowing how I would recover or if I would recover forced me to make sure that I was picking schools that I would find success at off the field.”

This injury opened Ally’s eyes to whole new set of opportunities. While before she had been thinking about which school would suit her best from a soccer stand point, she could now focus on the best academic fit for her.

To her and many others, a significant change in plans is scary. But Ally can agree that as hard as it was for her to let go of the sport she loved, she was able to take the time to focus on her future.