cabrini athletic departmentAnna Scholl began playing lacrosse in the fourth grade. Ever since she was little Scholl was actively involved in a sport every season. With two older sisters who were athletes, Scholl always played with the older girls.
“Lacrosse has always been one of my favorite sports,” junior English and communication major Anna Scholl said. “I have played sports for 21 years almost. Gymnastics, basketball, soccer, cross country running, lacrosse, field hockey and rugby, you name it, I probably played it.”
The journey through Scholl’s athletic career hasn’t always been the easiest. Scholl has undergone an athlete’s nightmare of surgeries.
“I have torn my left and right ACLs. I also have torn my right meniscus as well. I had compartment syndrome in both of my legs. Each recovery time for each surgery is about six month’s recovery. I was back and running full speed within four months post-op of both ACLs. I was back and running post-op of each leg’s surgery for compartment syndrome within one month to a month and a half,” Scholl said.
Scholl’s first ACL injury came when she was a junior in high school playing a rivalry basketball game. While trying to get around a defender she heard a “pop” and suddenly dropped to the ground. Scholl went out to the doctors and got her knee checked out. Sure enough she was told that her ACL had been torn.
“All I could think was ‘why me’,” Scholl said. The doctor left her with two options, surgery or no surgery and risk having a 30 percent chance of playing competitive sports again. “My dad said to me ‘You have to take this on with a positive attitude, get the surgery done ASAP, and get to rehab’ and that is exactly what I did,” Scholl said. Scholl’s second ACL tear came during a rugby game.
After the two surgeries Scholl decided to continue her lacrosse career at Cabrini. “It was kind of random that I played lacrosse for Cabrini. I knew I wanted to play a sport in college but I didn’t know if I wanted to play field hockey, basketball or lacrosse. I was a recruit for alumna Megan Farrell. I love playing lacrosse for Cabrini. This school year I have received two more surgeries to fix the immense pressure in my legs,” Scholl said.
Looking back on all that Scholl has accomplished in her athletic career, she is proud of everything that she has overcome.
“People are constantly asking me, “Isn’t enough, enough?” I wouldn’t change those incidences for anything. I have learned to be patient and hard working after each surgery. To go into a serious surgery, you must go in with a positive outlook. Get me in; get me out, so I can get back to my normal life and running. Yes there are simple little things I can’t do now because of these surgeries but I refuse to sit around and do nothing and feel sorry for myself,” Scholl said.
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