Alyssa Sutherland, a freshman at Norwood High, has battled knee pains for almost a year, but only in late 2025 did she decide to get the help she needed. She has battled with so many challenges emotionally, mentally, and physically.
Her injury was to her knee with a shifted knee cap and outstretched ligaments. She originally went to the Athletic trainer at NHS, Despina, and she advised her to go to the doctors on Sept. 17. That same day, she went to get X-rays. The doctors confirmed that she couldn’t play field hockey or any physical activity.
Sutherland says, “[it] took me out of field hockey because I kept playing through my injury… and we originally thought it was growing pain.”
Besides the physical pain, she experienced lots of mental challenges. She always had a fear that she might not play any sport ever again and that she would never be fully healed. She also describes that seeing her team succeed without her was a huge challenge.
“I wasn’t able to be on the field hockey… turf and not able to practice, and I feel like I let the team down,” Sutherland says.
Throughout the healing process, Sutherland highlighted many people as supporters.
“My main [supporter] is probably my mom. She had to drive me to every single physical therapy appointment, and also my dad drove me to my doctor appointments. My PT people because they had to help me overcome my fears and just helped in general.”
out at practice.
(Alyssa Sutherland)
Her healing process was long with lots of ups and downs. She was originally in denial that she was injured and had crutches. She had crutches for about a month, but even without the crutches, she still needed to take the elevator until winter break was over. Even after she was cleared to go up and down the school stairs, she still had to go to PT to make sure she was building the proper strength to return to sports once again. In mid March is when, she was officially fully cleared.
“Lots of the days it’s fully healed, and I don’t notice it, but there’s a lot of days too, where it’s just there, and I have to accept it.”
Currently, she’s trying out a new sport she’s never done before, which is softball. She plays as the third baseman of NHS’s JV team.
“Since being injured, joining the softball team has really boosted my confidence and happiness. People have also told me that there is a noticeable change in my mental health.”
Her injury has taught her a lot about her not only as an athlete but as a human, too.
“Realizing that sports aren’t my whole life, and there are good things even when everything’s falling apart, that people still love and care about, even though they might be frustrated with you.”
Sutherland describes not only her fears but what getting injured could do to other aspiring athletes like herself, and what advice she would give.
“You can get better. It just takes time, and even though you want to get better right away, be patient because you could end up hurting yourself even more; it will get worse, and you might not be able to bounce back from this as fast as your original injury.”
