[ad_1]
Beth Cobden’s career has included top Commonwealth Games gold, but the agony of three ACL injuries
“I never thought it could go back, you see. So it did. In my mind now either. [knee] could just go back, so I had to do a lot of work with the sports psychologist to figure that out.
“I do not think that [concern] Will never really go away, until I retire. It’s just a matter of dealing with those thoughts and making sure they don’t get the upper hand. “
When Beth Cobden’s return to England was announced, all English netball players were thrilled and in Australia many were sad to see her leave their shores.
These thoughts and feelings are a testament to Cobden’s talent on the pitch and his bubbly and warm personality. The 27-year-old brings so much to any team she’s on and the difficult journey she’s had in the sport that she loves has enjoyed it even more in the world of netball.
Cobden was only 17 when she suffered one of the injuries athletes fear most; a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). ACL injuries are notorious and extremely undesirable. At the time, her right knee was missing and she began to go through the long and arduous process of rehabilitation.
Vitality Netball Legends Series – All matches are also streamed on Sky Sports’ YouTube channel
| Friday 22 January | Coverage from 5.45 p.m. | Sky Sports Arena and Mix |
| Sunday January 24 | Coverage from 6.15 p.m. | Sky Sports Arena |
ACLs are not parts of your body that heal in a week or two, they often involve operations and require hours of meticulous training to get an athlete’s knee back on its feet. Progress is slow and haste is not an option.
As a teenager, Cobden pulled through tough jobs, returned to court and established herself with the Vitality Netball Superleague (VNSL) and England Vitality Roses.
She started her VNSL career with Manchester Thunder, before moving to Loughborough Lightning, and made her international debut in England in 2016.
Between 2016 and 2018, Cobden missed only one senior international competition and she was named in the Vitality Netball Superleague All Star VII in 2017 and 2018.
The 2018 Commonwealth Games won a gold medal, but after returning to the Lightning, the Vitality Netball Superleague Grand Final was marred by a major blow – an ACL injury to his other knee, the left.
“When that happened and I thought, okay I know what I have to do to come back, let’s do it,” she said to Sky Sports.
“Mentally, I was fine with this one… I had done this before, and had no problem with it.” When the same knee came back, that’s what attracted me.
His left knee “started again” a year later in Australia, just before the Vitality Netball World Cup. It robbed her of the chance to play in a home netball World Cup and this time it didn’t just leave a physical mark on her.
“When it started again it really bothered me mentally. I didn’t expect it at all. Then it’s just constant doubt in your mind as to whether it could start again,” she said.
“I never thought it could go back, you see. Then it did. In my mind now either. [knee] could just go back, so I had to do a lot of work with the sports psychologist to figure that out.
It wasn’t great actually. I saw it just a few hours after doing it and I think it really affected my healing. Someone probably didn’t know it would have that impact, but it does. At that time they were putting everything on social media, I think they have stopped doing so much now.
“I have a picture in my head of the moment I landed, and it broke. When that happened, the cover people in Australia tagged me on Instagram. The night after the having done it, I was on my phone and saw it, ”she said.
“I think having seen this image it’s kinda stuck. In my head I linked the image with the feeling and the snap, and then I think sometimes I just play that in my head a little bit. , it’s trying to get that out of my head and try to think about me.
“Now, if I ever have that image, I try to think of it as a strong landing and it’s going well and going on. The imagery is something that has helped a lot and just talking about it, definitely.”
Much of this is just talking about it. We book regular dates and just have chats most of the time because there have been a few different little techniques I do if I ever get these negative thoughts to eliminate them.
Also just agreeing that I’ll get them [negative] thoughts and knowing that it is okay to have them. It’s just a matter of turning that into a positive and understanding why they’re there and trying to overthrow them.
Prior to returning to England, Cobden had already decided to play the role of Adelaide Thunderbirds’ training partner rather than pressuring himself to return to a Suncorp Super Netball court.
Then, when the lockdown came in March of last year, she returned to England alongside Natalie Haythornthwaite and Layla Guscoth. They caught what they thought was one of the last flights out of Australia and all of them landed safely in England.
Having it really helped, now I’m pretty good now with it all. Touch wood, I’ll be ready to go for a few more years, then I can retire at my own pace.
Beth Cobden on the impact of her sports psychologist
Since then, it has been announced that she is returning to Loughborough Lightning and the Vitality Netball Superleague, and the lockdown period has given her plenty of extra time to recover.
“When I think about the fact that I would have played around May and ended up playing more recently, I think I would never have been ready to play then,” he said. she declared.
“When I think about where I was mentally then, where I am now. It worked really well for me in that sense. We were very lucky to have been able to continue [training and playing].
“I love playing for Loughborough and the whole program is great. I feel really comfortable and happy and I love playing for England and being in the camp and being part of the environment. The girls, the coaches and staff have all been amazing and have really supported me.
“Now I’m pretty well placed with it all. My goal is to try and make it to the World Cup but down to the minute I just take each point as it comes and it works well for me until present. “
Netball returns to Sky Sports with the Vitality Netball Legends series. Watch the second game on Sky Sports Arena and Mix Wednesday from 5:30 p.m. All matches will also be broadcast on the Sky Sports YouTube channel.
[ad_2]
Source link
