Overcoming adversity: Carroll shines for MSM

by Matthew Ondesko: Managing Editor

Norah Carroll didn’t even know if she would be in this position.

In early 2023, the Mount St. Mary Academy goalkeeper had an ACL and meniscus tear costing her the entire season. That was on the heals of breaking her hand early on during her sophomore season, which cost her time before doing back to play four games only to tear her knee up.

“Since beginning to play sports around the age of 4, I don’t think I ever had a break from sports for as long as I was out for my injury which was about 10 months. It was also very upsetting because I had broken my hand sophomore year during the first game of my high school season, I was only back playing for a little over 4 months before I had my tear,” stated Carroll. “Missing both my sophomore year and junior year of school soccer was difficult and having to teach fellow teammates how to play my position was a hard pill to swallow. It was also really hard on my confidence as an athlete, as I had torn it right before the summer of my junior year which is prime recruiting season, it was hard to watch all of my teammates and friends get recruited or begin their process while I was currently relearning how to run. So really, my injury affected every aspect and scope of my life, which wasn’t ever something I could’ve prepared myself for.

Through it all, Carroll persevered, and there she was standing there manning the pipes during the Monsignor Martin title game against rival Mount Mercy Academy. Everything she went through over the course of the last two seasons seemed like a blur.

The pain of not playing was one thing, the pain of going through the rehab process was another. She endured countless hours of rehab just to get on the field again. The physical part of rehab is one thing, Carroll also had to get over the mental hurdles of being hurt.

Getting injured wasn’t a thing for her until her sophomore year, then is all came crashing to a half.

“My ACL and meniscus tear in early 2023 was easily one of the hardest things I’ve had to go through. Not only was it extremely painful to tear, but the post-surgery pain was indescribable and was quite miserable to live through. However, the physical pain wasn’t the only thing I was experiencing during that time,” stated Carroll. “I struggled a lot with PTSD, constant flashbacks or visuals of re-tearing, and lived with a constant fear of walking, running, making cuts, and eventually feared the idea of playing GK again. I’d had many conversations with my parents about what it would look like if I decided to walk away from sports altogether, the fear of stepping back onto the field sometimes outweighing my love and passion for the game.”

While she wanted to get back on the field to help her teammates, motivation became a factor post surgery and rehab. A study showed that ACL tears are more common in female sports, especially soccer.

In fact, studies have shown that female soccer players are 4-5 times more likely to suffer an ACL tear than their male counterparts. At times, Carroll felt helpless during her recovery process, which led to less motivation to get the work done, and back on the field.

She felt like she was stripped of her identity, and everything she had worked hard for up to that point.

“Sadly, ACL tears are common in female sports, specifically in soccer, so I had a lot of examples of what a rehab process would look like. To my knowledge and how I watched other athletes recover, I felt as if I was expected to overwork myself and constantly be training to get back onto the field,” explained Carroll. “While I wish that was the case regarding my motivation, it was not. I struggled a lot with being motivated to get better, I think due to feeling like everything that made me me was stripped away and out of my control. So, my biggest motivating factor was that I just kept telling myself to show up. I didn’t always have the energy or motivation to go for that extra run, hit the gym in the morning and night of every day, or even go to the field to practice skills, but I kept telling myself, “All you have to do is show up.”

As time started to go by there was Carroll just showing up. There she was just putting in the work to try and get through the injury. Of course there were those days she just don’t want to be there, but she just showed up.

She was the only keeper for MSM and her ECNL team and didn’t want to let them down. That was motivation enough to get back out there - and get through the fear of being hurt again. By December 2023, Carroll was back on the field where she belonged.

“Just show up and work. That’s all you have to do. It’ll be okay.” So, I showed up, consistently, twice a week, for over a year, and I did the best I could with where I was mentally to continue the work outside of PT. I also kept thinking of my team. As the only goalkeeper on my ECNL and school team, I’d committed to them to be their GK so I had to get back to play for them. I couldn’t let them down,” stated Carroll. “I also developed a great relationship with my trainers as it felt like we were friends and we would just gossip together the entire time. It made the time go by faster and, during the harder moments, we were able to crack jokes and lessen the weight of the situation. While I was fearful to return to play, I was also eager to get back onto the field and often would beg my trainers to clear me. I think eventually, as I kept working each week, the notion of playing again got less and less scary until come December 2023, I was playing full contact again, still with fear, hesitation, and uncertainty, but also with the need to experience the adrenaline and euphoria of playing goalie again.”

So there she was staring in goal for the Thunder in the championship game. Everything she had worked for came down to one game for the Monsignor Martin title. Carroll came up big time and after time against Mount Mercy.

Her decision making was on point throughout the entire game as she came up clutch in the key moments. For her efforts, Carroll was named the playoff MVP. All her hard work getting back, the mental hurdles she had to jump through, paid off in one shining moment.

“Making those crucial saves and decisions in the box was something I just knew was my job. As a GK my main job is to keep the balls out of the back of my net, which can put on a lot of pressure, but when I succeed at following through, there’s no other feeling like it,” stated Carroll. “Getting Playoff MVP was a super rewarding experience because I put a lot into so many of those games to get my team to the championship and help pull out that win. Coming up clutch in those key moments and feeling the reward of the W just pushed the point of playing for my team and playing with the urgency to keep us in it. There were a lot of moments where it was 1v1 and I had to make the urgent, desperate save to keep us in, and those types of plays are something that I live for as a GK and the adrenaline that comes with it is something I can’t find anywhere else.”

Getting over the mental hurdle when playing the position that Carroll plays is not easy. There is a lot of traffic in the box at times. Carroll knows she till take on contact. She knows when she goes up for a ball in the box that there will be girls running into her, or falling around her knees.

But it’s her net, it’s her area. She knows to be successful she has to take command of the box. She can’t think about the injury she had, that’s in the past. Now, it’s about making sure no one tries to take over her area.

With her personality that’s pretty easy. She’s an extrovert, loud and little bossy. She has the makeup to be a keeper, and a good one at that.

“My personality has been a huge help in commanding the box since I’m naturally very extroverted, loud, and bossy. But really, as I’ve played soccer I’ve realized how much my teammates depend on my voice and attitude and how it can affect the level of play on the field. If I’m not clued into the game and commanding from the back, then they can sometimes forget simple plays like marking up on an attacker's goal-side or giving them players to mark or areas to defend on defensive corner kicks. When there is traffic on my legs and I have to make a save, it can be difficult because I can’t know what’s going to happen or if my pressure will stop,” explained Carroll. “There have been a lot of occasions where I slide tackle or come out to the top of the 18 and my attacker won’t slow down and usually hits me. Having the ability to not be afraid in those situations is really due to confidence in the ability to make the save and read the situation correctly. Goalies can very easily hesitate to make the play because they don’t want to overcommit and give up any opportunities, so accurately reading the play is crucial. Also, I have to say so much comes down to adrenaline as well. In those key moments, you’ll do anything to make the save and keep the ball out of the net so you stop questioning whether or not the play is safe to make in terms of pressure at the feet.”

Her play in net all year helped MSM make history as they one back-to-back titles for the first time in school history. It was a fitting end for Carroll who has been through so much the last two years.

To be abet o celebrate with her teammates was definitely something special.

“Making history and being part of the legacy at MSM in being the first to win back-to-back titles feels extremely rewarding. A lot has gone into getting to this point, the team and myself have experienced so many highs and lows that we’ve all had to persevere through,” stated Carroll. “So, to come out on top twice is definitely something that makes it all worth it and creates a legacy in a really beautiful light.”

It’s also a great way to end her high school career, a career full of memories, both good and bad. Through it all, Carroll wouldn’t give her time back for anything. She understands what it means to work hard.

She understands what it means to give back to the community. That is something she will cherish as she moves on to the next chapter of her life.

“My time at MSM has taught me and shown me so much about what it means to work hard and how to establish a positive and beneficial presence within my school community. Maintaining high grades and participating in as many school extracurriculars as I can has pushed me to develop a strong work ethic and expand my horizons in interests,” stated Carroll. “As I finish my four years, looking back at freshman year has made me realize how many connections and lifelong friendships I have created through MSM’s small community. I’ll leave MSM with many skills, relationships, and memories under my belt that I didn’t have before entering freshman year.”