One major obstacle Julia faced was tearing both of her ACLs. This injury is one of the hardest for any athlete and required her to have surgery and months of rehab. For my sister, the injury was not only physically painful but also emotionally challenging since it happened her sophomore and senior year.

She questioned whether she would ever play at the same level again. Many athletes experience similar feelings when injured, as being sidelined can shake their confidence. My sister spent months in physical therapy, working to regain her strength and confidence. I saw her go through this slow and frustrating journey, but she never gave up. Her determination to recover showed the mental toughness needed to be an athlete.