KEYS – ADALI WELKER
Written by Michael Bray
In life, things don’t always go according to plan…still yet the sun will eventually shine.
Such is the case with Keys’ Adali Welker, who missed all of last season with an ACL tear in her knee.
“It was literally the worst time of my life,” Welker said. “It’s so hard from going from sports being your everything to having to watch everyone else. It was horrible. But I remember being like it’s okay, you just have to work your hardest to get back and you’ll play next year. It’s going to be fine.”
Before the injury, the 5-7 sophomore guard had shown promise in the summer workouts.
“She started for us all summer, every team camp we went to she was in the starting lineup as a freshman,” Lady Cougars head coach Kruz Lynch said. “So Adali is definitely a key player we did not get to use last year.”
Following surgery, the rehab was both mentally and physically challenging.
“Even if you come back strong physically, if you’re not mentally strong enough you are going to question yourself,” she said, “and not be able to play to your full potential. So it [Rehab] was definitely both.”
Welker mentioned that throughout the process her strongest support came from her siblings and team.
“She [sister] was so tired of me. When I wasn’t able to walk she was doing everything for me,” said Welker. “They truly are the best and all my teammates were always picking me up and talking to me about my recovery. That helped so much.”
Welker also credited her dad with being her motivation throughout her life and for her love of the game.
“He’s taught me so much about life on and off the court,” she said. “When I was little I used to play in the small leagues around here, dad was my coach.”
Welker is eager to take the court and be a contributing factor for the Lady Cougars, who finished 22-8 in her absence. Her goals are simple.
“Honestly it’s try my hardest every single game no matter what,” Welker said. “I have teammates that can score, I’m not the main person for that. I think just giving my heart every single game and every single practice as well. That’s what I want to do. That’s my goal.”
Welker’s recovery has taught her to keep pushing and keep going and that’s the advice that she would share with any other athlete or person who may struggle with an injury.
“I’ve heard this so much, but it truly is better on the other side of the injury,” she said. “You’re mentally stronger and you’re going to come back physically stronger if you put in the work, It gets better, I promise.”
