Kenzie Myers once wore navy and gold, but now she wears orange and black. Her dad coached her at CDT volleyball, where she first found a love for volleyball. Kenzie plays for a travel volleyball team called, Allegheny Volleyball Club, where she has been playing there since 6th grade. Kenzie said, “It’s really sad not to be able to play the sport I’ve been playing since I was 8, but every day gets a little easier knowing I’m getting closer.”
During a home game on October 2, 2023, against Norwin, Kenzie’s coach put her in a position that was newer to her, she went to double block on the outside and came down her teammate’s foot. She immediately collapsed in pain, and Kenzie knew from that moment something was wrong. After she got an MRI, it was confirmed that she had torn her ACL and meniscus. Kenzie knew that it meant she was not able to finish the season.
Kenzie’s surgery was almost a month later on October 25, 2023, “I’m almost 4 months post-operation and have 2-to 4 more months until I can get back into contact with volleyball,” she said. Kenzie’s biggest fear is getting surgery, so having her sister there was very reassuring. It helped to soothe her nerves before and after surgery. Her surgery went very well!
Since Kenzie tore her meniscus, leaving her non-weight-bearing, she has lost all muscle in her injured leg. This means she is starting over and has to build her leg back up. “It has been really hard, but I’m getting there.” Kenzie has been attending physical therapy twice a week ever since her surgery and is putting in all the work, so she can get back in the game for senior season.
Kenzie’s knee is healing correctly so far, which is a very good sign. For players who have had very serious injuries, Kenzie says the best thing to do is stay disciplined. She said, “…there will be so many days where you don’t feel like putting in the work and you feel tired and defeated, but working hard will pay off.”
Kenzie has been keeping busy, reading more, focusing on her schoolwork, and working outside of physical therapy so she can get back to the sport she loves. She is putting in the work inside of physical therapy and outside. During physical therapy, Kenzie is doing a lot of quad-focused exercises and stretches to build back her muscles. She does some core and upper body so she can stay toned for volleyball.
She can walk without her brace at physical therapy and at home. Kenzie is limited now to only having to wear her brace when she is doing strenuous amounts of walking and movement. This helps her to not buckle her knee or it to pop. This helps Kenzie to have support.
In the future for Kenzie, she plans to play volleyball at the college level and is in the process of looking for colleges with a good sports program and education, “To me, my academics are just as important as volleyball.” She was on crutches and a full knee brace, so getting around was pretty difficult and tiring. Kenzie was going only for half a day because having her leg dangle was causing it to be sore.
Kenzie’s love for volleyball is deep, so being absent from her sport is very difficult, but she is counting down the days until she can get back on the court. As of right now, Kenzie hopes to be back into “full action” by the middle or end of July.
