It was Apr. 17, and I was counting down the seconds to the starting kick off for the first game of our season in Redondo Beach. The San Diego Sting was the visiting team, but they stood no chance against us.

My palms were sweaty and my heart was racing, but I was mentally and physically prepared and ready for this game.

After the first half, I went in full force. I stood for a split second and waited for the play to unravel and out of the corner I see their wide receiver heading my way. I took a few steps back to turn and run parallel to her. I tackled her straight to the floor and we both fell straight into the turf.

In a split second, there were football players piling on top of us, and that’s the moment that ended my first season as a professional women’s football player for the Los Angeles Pacific Warriors.

The sound of heavy, colliding bodies trampled my leg, as I lay helpless on the field hoping for this to be a nightmare. All I remember is feeling the worst pain I have ever felt in my entire life. My right leg was twisted underneath six football players that watched me scream my lungs out.

Within a month, I received the bad news that my entire Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) had been ruptured. I quickly opted for surgery to repair my injury knowing that it would take about a year to recover. On June 7, I had surgery at the West L.A. Veteran’s Hospital.

Anyone with this type of injury and surgical reconstruction should enter physical therapy within one to two days of surgery in order to initiate proper rehabilitation of the site.

I was bed ridden for almost a month, not knowing what my limitations were. It took my doctors three weeks to get me to see a physical therapist. My crutches quickly became my best friends.

Most nights, the pain I felt was almost unbearable and I had many sleepless nights full of desperation and anger. Luckily, I had an amazing friend who helped me through my tough time.

Crystal Gonzalez, a 23-year-old health science major at California State Long Beach, helped me through the most critical post-surgery months.

“I was there when Monica was injured and I could only imagine what she was going through,” said Gonzalez. “She’s my friend and I know she needed my help, I was glad to do it.”

After a few weeks of disappointment with the physical therapists that were assigned to me by the Department of Veteran Affairs, I inquired about new physical therapists near Oxnard. There was so much paperwork, routing and approvals that needed to be done before receiving a decision on whether or not I was approved for new therapy.

To my fortune, Athletic Physical Therapy in Oxnard came to my rescue. Dr. Ethan Ezaki, Doctor of Physical Therapy, is the Clinical Manager who decided to grant me with pro-bono work on my injury.

“There are some cases where an individual’s quality of life can be drastically improved with just a little effort and sacrifice by me and my company,” said Ezaki. “In Monica’s case, her previous rehabilitation facility had failed to get her back to her sport. My goal was to show her that with quality rehabilitation, she would be able to return to the field in a condition that would allow her to perform at her very best.”

Dr. Ezaki specializes in sports injuries and is passionate about getting his patients back on their feet through rigorous and serious therapy.

By the time Athletic PT began their pro-bono work on me, I had developed plenty of scar tissue and I had almost no strength in my quad.

Brienna Fouts, Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC), is also assisting in my recovery and enjoys making a positive difference in people’s lives through Athletic PT.

“It is amazing to be part of a person’s road to recovery because you get to see them improve and progress and you are with them every step of the way until they reach their goals,” said Fouts. “I am proud to be part of an organization that cares about each individual patients and their progress.”

As an athlete, I realize the importance of injury rehabilitation and the importance of getting quality care for yourself. I am more than grateful that a clinic like this one stepped in to offer a helping hand in such a crucial time for me as an athlete and as a person.

Without the help of Dr. Ezaki and Fouts, my road to recovery would have been cut short and my future career as a professional women’s football player would be over.

Hopefully, with a few more months of tough training and sports medicine therapy, I will be able to return to my team with a healthy ACL and a full recovery.  

Dr. Ezaki (left) stretches Monica’s leg before therapy (Photo courtesy of Ethan Ezaki)

Monica works on her quad strength at Athletic PT in Oxnard (Photo courtesy of Ethan Ezaki)

Monica (left) practices her balance with Dr. Ezaki (Photo courtesy of Ethan Ezaki)