Rianna Jarrett - Setbacks make me stronger

After being forced to watch on from the sidelines as Wexford Youths secured their first Women’s National League title after suffering a second ACL injury, Rianna Jarrett spoke to Extratime.ie about her injury and returning to football.

While away in America, Rianna was selected for the Ireland senior squad to head to La Manga for a week's training and it was there she suffered heartbreak for a second time, just nine months after returning from the first ACL injury.

“It was actually quite freaky how it happened,” Jarrett explained. “I recall going to swing for the ball for a volley and didn’t connect with the ball properly, maybe not at all and my knee just gave way. I don’t remember hearing a pop or it even being painful. I fell to the ground and it started to stiffen up. I walked off the pitch not thinking it was anything too serious.”

Although leaving the field against Norway in some pain it was not until Rianna returned to Ireland that she received the bad news about the extent of her injury.

“After being assessed by the physio we weren’t under the impression it was the ACL, thought it was medial ligament damage. I was sent for an MRI when back in Ireland and was here where I received the news it was my ACL, it was hard to take.

“It brought back memories from the last time. It took me a few days to come to terms with it, but after being through it once before and getting back playing at a high level, I had the confidence that I can return at a higher level.

“It’s a long process and definitely tests you mentally, but after going through the process I came back not only a stronger player but a stronger person in general so I’m hoping to do the same again this time.”

Despite missing the first half of the season while being in the States, Jarrett revealed that it was tough watching from the sidelines after the injury.

“It was obviously tough watching on from the sideline because no matter how much I wanted to play I couldn’t. All I wanted to do was to be out there playing the girls. I came back just before Christmas and signed back with Wexford Youths. At this stage they had already had a terrific first half of the season and were top of the league at Christmas.

“I couldn’t wait to get back training with the girls and work to win a starting place in the team. Unfortunately I was unable to do that as got injured before the first game back. I didn’t let being injured get in the way though. I was still at every game and every training session excluding the first couple of days after the surgery.

“I gave a little help with the forward players in training, and in matches. Huge credit to the girls and management they still made me feel as if I had played a part of the process.”

Although watching her teammates win the league, being forced to watch on as they were eliminated in the League Cup semi-final, Jarrett explains was a difficult moment.

“It was probably harder for me to watch the League Cup semi-final loss. It’s easy to watch on from the sideline and see your team winning. The tough part is when things aren’t going so well because all you want to do is go out and try and make things better.

“All I could do was give my thoughts on what I seen from watching on. I do think that defeat crowned us, I felt we took a lot from that game and I feel that it definitely showed when we faced Raheny again in the Morton Stadium and came back from 1-0 down to win 2-1 and ultimately win the league that night.”

Four months after surgery, Rianna revealed that the medical staff are very pleased with the progress she is making and she is currently working on a strength program to aid recovery.

“The recovery is coming along really well,” she said. “I recently had my 3-4 month check-up with the surgeon and their physios in Santry Sports Clinic when I had several tests done including an isokinetic test which tests the strength and power in the hamstrings and quads.

“Both the surgeon and physio were very impressed with my progression so far. I am currently doing strength work in the gym trying to build up the muscle in the injured leg and also the ‘good’ leg.

“I am also in the middle of a jumping programme, working on my balance and landing on both legs. I have just started to progress my running from straight line to introducing a small bit of changing of direction which will be assessed and increased in the coming weeks.”

With the Champions League Qualifiers coming up in August the forward feels that the tournament will come too soon.

“Unfortunately the Champion’s League qualifying group stage will come just too early for me, so unfortunately I will not be playing it. I am back to see the surgeon at the end of August for my 6-7 month check-up, so ultimately that will determine when I will return to training and then obviously back playing matches.

“So between now and then I am just concentrating on putting the work in so I give myself the best chance of returning sooner rather than later. Hopefully the girls finish top in our group, qualifying for the knockout stages where there may be more realistic chance of being available for selection.”