Three strikes and you’re out…
It was a cloudy and ominously dark afternoon in Portland, Oregon on January 18, 2016. The soccer game that was underway was drenched in water as the rain continued to pour for the third day in a row. Players scattered the field as they each raced for the ball, cutting through the rain like glass with precision and speed. This collegiate showcase tournament was one of many that this Storm team attended over the years of being together and they were used to a multitude of different forecasts.
For Sydney Malmstrom, this cold and damp day was unlike any other.
In the first game of the tournament as rain continued to soak the field, the opponents were getting frustrated with Storm’s ability to withstand the weather and play on. Aggression continued to peak between both teams as they raced to the opposing goals. Suddenly, as Sydney rushed in the middle of a tackle to scramble the ball away, she was unexpectedly hit with an elbow straight to the side of her head. The hit left her slightly dazed but nothing too unexpected from a sudden blow to the head and she continued on with the game.
Once over, the second game of the tournament began about an hour or two later. Sydney, although her head was aching, was ready to play. College coaches from around the country were showing up to this tournament and every girl on the team was looking to impress.
As the game began, within the first half things turned for the worst. The players were aggressively fighting for the ball in hopes of taking the advantage and proving to the scouts that they were the best. The ball shot up into the air and Sydney sprinted with the intention of retrieving it. Her opponent had the same idea.
The opponent’s head immediately collided with the back of Sydney’s head. Upon impact, Sydney went limp and was sent falling to the ground, her head then smacking the wet field on her way down. Coaches were instantly called onto the field as Sydney wasn’t responding. She was carried off, feet dragging behind her as her head tried to look up. When she was finally examined by the assistant coach on the sidelines, the diagnosis of a severe concussion was easy to come by. It also became clear that these symptoms were spanning from not just one, but three separate concussions in less than a three hour time span.
“I think when I was examined they asked me how many quarters were in a dollar and a half. I think I said 12. I didn’t know who the president was, what the score was or who we were playing,” said Sydney as she was recounting the experience.
That was when all of Sydney’s troubles began.
Following the return of the trip, Sydney was in mid-semester of her sophomore year at Broomfield High School. Come that Monday, she tried to go back to school. The migraine quickly took over her sight and mind come second period of school and she was immediately sent home after throwing up repeatedly. That’s when they knew the concussion was serious.
It soon became clear that she could not function through a full day at school. The debilitating migraines and confusion that followed put Sydney on bedrest for nearly three weeks. Eventually, the numerous letters and calls home alerting Sydney that she would not pass sophomore year made it clear that she had to return to school. She discussed with her counselors extensively and they all decided it would be best to put her on part-time school until she could return with ease. But when this took longer than expected, the counselling staff grew impatient.
The 504 program is the rehabilitation act designed through Boulder Valley High School to help students with disabilities receive a fair education. It is initially intended for students with mental and physical disabilities that prohibit them from earning an education through the standard school system that most high schoolers go through. The counsellors gave Sydney a choice: Either come back to school full-time or enroll in the 504 program.
Immediately, it sparked a surge of motivation in Sydney.
Unable to accept a program designed for kids with special needs, Sydney began going back to school full-time. The migraines were beginning to lessen as the weeks from her initial injury continued. Rather than getting one to two every day, they were beginning to happen only four to five times a week. But the constant pain of trying to focus and remember details provided in class was the most difficult thing she has ever done.
Her eyes would begin to shake and twitch from lack of sleep. Her balance disappeared almost entirely. Worst of all, her memory became nonexistent. She could, and often would, be in the middle of a sentence and completely forget what she was saying and why she was saying it. Teachers would answer her question and before she could sit back down in her seat, she would have to go ask again.
Since Sydney missed so much school and refused to enroll in the 504 program, she had to stay up until late hours of the night and early hours in the morning to get everything done. All of her make-up work and the current workload of the semester began to pile onto her plate. Night after night, she sat in her room with a splitting headache trying to finish all of the work in order to attempt to bounce back. Eventually, and after many, many nights spent slaving over papers and math problems, Sydney went from all F’s to an almost perfect grade point average.
Eventually came summer vacation and her brain was able to rest and recuperate before diving straight first into her junior year. She can no longer play soccer, or any heavy contact sport for that matter. Now, she is a senior at BHS, about to graduate in the spring of 2018. Just a month ago, Sydney applied to Colorado State University. She got in and will be attending come the start of the academic year in the fall of 2018.
Sydney’s story, like many, depicts the hardships that accompany having a severe concussion. While concussions are quite common and often believed to be a negligible injury, many can attests otherwise. These are often some of the worst injuries that a player can receive as many lasting side effects and other serious injuries can tag along.
However, if there is anything to learn from the inspirational story, it’s that anything is possible with a little determination and ambition.
“I just hope that I can inspire other people to believe that about themselves, too.”