Sports
Sola's Love of Game Trumps The Pain
North Branford varsity girls' basketball player Jessica Sola plays through pain of knee condition.
Many times the thing we love most can cause us some pain. Just ask North Branford High School's Jessica Sola.
The senior guard/forward goes through it everyday. She began playing basketball at a very young age and dismissed continuous knee pain until she could no longer stand it.
Toward the end of Sola's sophomore season, doctor's informed her she had what is known as patello-femoral syndrome. The complication is caused by mis-tracking of the knees along the supportive material cushioning the bone. The patella's mis-allignment leads to pressure and grinding within the knee causing continuous pain.
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Still, the pain has not sidetracked Sola, who
“I've been going to physical therapy three times a week since my sophomore season,” said Sola. “There's no real cure or surgery that can fix it. I just wear orthotics and go through my daily routine with the pain. Especially in games, the pressure on my knees really gets to me but I just push through it.”
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The level of heart Sola shows has not gone unnoticed by coach and North Branford athletic director, Chris Webster.
“She's our best defensive player and she's struggled with that pain for the last few years,” said Webster. “She's gone through the therapy and does the best she can. She's contributed a lot to our team and I'm pleased with her efforts.”
Sola continues to fight on, admitting that her biggest fear is not injury or sharper pain, instead, it's being pulled off the court.
“I take precautions and visit doctors,” said Sola. “I've been late to practices because I'm at the doctor's office. I don't think my teammates know the extent of it, because I don't exaggerate it. If Web (coach Webster) sees me in too much pain, she'll take me out and I don't want to come out of the game.”
Webster keeps an eye on her pain tolerance but cautions that anyone who thinks the pain slows down Sola is badly mistaken.
“She gives 100 percent all the time, no question,” said Webster.
For showing such heart on the court,
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