Gotham FC fans celebrated when defender Tierna Davidson was activated off the season-ending injury list earlier this month.
Finally, their captain would be back on the pitch after having been sidelined for 11 months because of a knee injury — a spell that included watching the team go on an inspired run through the playoffs to an NWSL title.
Davidson said she felt accomplished to have reached that benchmark. But she also noted the transaction was more so “the next logical step in all of the work that we’ve been putting in.”
It’s not the checkered flag at the end of a race. Her rehabilitation process remains ongoing.
“What’s so important is even after you get cleared and you’re off the SEI [season-ending injury] list and you’re able to play,” Davidson said ahead of Saturday’s home opener against the North Carolina Courage. “It’s part of the recovery journey is then getting played back in and feeling like yourself and connecting with your teammates again and learning their tendencies and being able to play 30 minutes and then 45…
“There’s so many more steps even after that,” she continued. “There’s a very clear understanding that it doesn’t mean that, ‘Work’s done. Now we’re back.’ There’s definitely more that needs to be done still.”
Physically, Davidson said she feels pretty good. She’s eager to get back on the pitch with her teammates after going as an unused substitute in Gotham’s season-opening win over the expansion Boston Legacy last Saturday. But she also knows she can’t rush the process.
“What always takes the longest to come back is some of the finer details of playing the sport that you can’t get until you’re in a full-team training environment,” Davidson said. “So it’s just what I’ve been exposed to the least, but knowing that comes with just more time on the pitch, with more time with my team, you just have to have patience for those small, little things to come back.”
Davidson considers herself a relatively patient person. She can wait her turn and deal with daily annoyances with ease.
But Davidson’s endurance and tranquility has been constantly tested since she tore the ACL in her left knee last April.
Athletes strive for perfection, excellence and results. That desire to be the best is a big reason why they make it to the professional level.
Davidson had to accept her situation and allow herself grace during her injury recovery, especially on the hardest of days.
Even since she was activated off the season-ending injury list earlier this month, Davidson finds herself having to actively practice self-compassion.
“Sometimes, especially during the rehab process, you do have to slow down and be like, ‘Alright, what can I do today? What can I achieve today?’” Davidson said. “And maybe that’s not going to be perfect and maybe it’s not even going to be great but you have to keep moving forward.”
Davidson said Gotham strength and conditioning coach Eric Gorman has been pivotal in helping her navigate this part of the return-to-play process. She’s also leaned on her teammates, including Rose Lavelle, who dealt with a long-term ankle injury and can empathize with what Davidson is experiencing.
There’s been a learning curve for Davidson as she’s worked to reintegrate herself back into the mix. It helps that she watched all of last season and has familiarity playing with a lot of her teammates.
“Something that I am definitely not worried about is the support that I have,” Davidson said. “Sometimes it can be daunting going back out and being worried about playing well or making mistakes or being not quite the player that you want to be.
“But really just looking at my team and seeing the type of people and players that I have around me, I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh, if I make a mistake, I have [Emily] Sonnett, and I’ve got Jess [Carter] … all of these people right around me that will cover me like no problem. And I think that really puts my mind at ease that we have such excellent people here that can help me out if I’m not my best yet, but similarly it’s like I strive to be able to do that for them as well.”
Davidson is ready to get back to feeling like herself. But first, she’s relishing Gotham’s return to Sports Illustrated Stadium, where the club hasn’t played a game in five months.
“To finally feel like we’re in a stadium where the crowd is overwhelmingly rooting for us and is cheering us on and to be able to share that experience with our new players on our team is something that I think is going to be really exciting,” she said. “So, I’m really excited for the atmosphere and to be back home again.”
