Rising Above: A college basketball story

I have played basketball my whole life.  I vividly remember being five years old, playing on a plastic, three-foot hoop, and I’ve been playing ever since.  To feel that I was losing the ability to play to my full potential was difficult for me. Then, I went to Inspired Athletx to see what they could offer me.

During my summer at Inspired Athletx, I learned the proper way to jump and cleaned up my running form. We worked on mechanics to properly load and strengthen my hips and take pressure away from my knees.  As the weeks passed, the pain in my knees subsided and I was able to jump freely, which felt amazing. When I felt ready to attempt to dunk for the first time, I reflected on the events that led me to Inspired Athletx. I thought to myself that it wasn’t just about dunking for the first time, but more about setting a goal for myself and completing the steps necessary to achieve it.

I was able to dunk on a consistent basis after one summer of training, my overall game improved more than I expected, and my knee pain is resolved. Now, I am able to play above the rim because I am no longer grounded by my pain.  I can reach higher than my opponents when I rebound, block more shots, and safely add dunking to my offensive repertoire. These improvements have been a complete game-changer for me.

During my summer at Inspired Athletx, I learned the proper way to jump and cleaned up my running form.

When I reflect on the times when it hurt to jump, I appreciate the ability to do it now without the slightest discomfort. I think there is always that choice in every aspect of life: to be grounded by pain and limited by discomfort, or to find help, get stronger, and find a way to rise above it all.

— Sean, College Basketball Player

**Due to NCAA regulations, the client’s full name and likeness were purposefully omitted from this publication.