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Q&A with Baleigh Bruster: On the Road to Recovery
6/24/2022 10:41:00 AM | Women's Soccer
DURHAM – Baleigh Bruster stepped foot on Duke's campus last August and made an immediate impact on the defensive end starting two of seven matches played, before suffering a season-ending injury against North Carolina on Sept. 17, 2021. Â
Bruster, who hails from Atlanta, Ga., has been in the recovery process since then and GoDuke.com sat down with Woodward Academy product to see how she is progressing heading into the 2022 campaign. Â
GoDuke.com:Â I know everyone is curious how you are doing since you were injured last September against North Carolina?
Baleigh Bruster: It's been a long time. It's been eight and a half months since my operation. I don't know how to put it into one word, those eight months, the duration of that time has been full of different emotions and different challenges. Each month is a new obstacle to overcome. In the early months it was simply trying to revive the muscles in my leg and be able to trigger them, to use them, and just get them working with the mind, body, muscle connection, which is really tough. Walking was hard for a long time as I was in a brace for a little while. Then after walking came running, running took a while. Right now, I'm just doing a lot of strength, and a lot of bend, movement, trying to get pivoting, cutting, twisting, turning, everything you need for soccer. It has been challenging, that's for sure. But I think I've taken it well.
GD: Since being injured, what was it like having to sit on the sideline and watch – not being able to be on the field helping your teammates?
BB: Being a bystander in a game that you've always been involved in was really hard. Not only was I not able to play, but I couldn't participate, and the thing is that I normally play every day, train every day, training Monday through Friday, games on Thursdays and Saturdays, whatever the schedule is. It was really hard. I mean I love watching soccer, but not when it's not by choice and it's because I can't play, and it was challenging when we were having our troughs and struggling a bit last year --- not to be able to do anything to help. There's always a way to contribute to the team even if it's not physically, so just being supportive, being the person on the sideline that's positive, and just cheering people on.
GD: Did you learn anything about yourself and see the game differently watching from the sideline?
BB: I would say in general, just being a freshman here at Duke with the program, there was a lot to learn even while I was playing. Being taken off the field and watching from the sideline was really helpful. This is because you see the different style of play here than I was introduced to and it was kind of hard to adjust to it, so I feel like I was able to observe what they want, the style of play, especially from my position. I was kind of new to my position because I usually play with three center backs instead to two, and I had a hard time adjusting to that. So, being able to watch that without participating in the trial and error of understanding it i think was helpful because now I have a good grasp what that position is from my teammates and watching my teammates and watching them play games. Being able to watch all of training -- I was at every training session on the sideline. So yeah, I would say tactically it was helpful to be able to be on the sideline for a while.
GD: How lucky do you feel to have this medical staff and the other facilities offered here?
BB: I'm so lucky, I'm so privileged to have access to everything here, the people here, the facilities here. The attention I get here, everything is super feasible. If I need anything I'm taken care of. It's been awesome. The treatment I've received, if I ever have any problems I know I have someone to go to. Everything they do is in my best interest and they want me to back just as badly as I want to be back. It's funny because they've been working with me for almost a year now, so we really got to know each other and it's nice being with someone whose been next to you the whole way, since day one to all the way and they understand what I've been through and how far I've come, so it's nice to have someone witness how far I've come. It's been really nice.
GD: You came in as a freshman and started two matches and played 349 minutes over seven matches. GD:What was it like to come in as a rookie and make such an impact on the team?
BB: It was awesome, every game I got to play was. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't stressful, because it was. Trying to earn playing time, to prove your worth on the field, to get that position - it was stressful, and that's something I hadn't had to do before coming into college. I've always just had my position, I've never had to fight for it. So that was new for me, but with that said because of that every minute I got on the field was not taken for granted. I loved every minute that I could get, and I wanted to do the best I could when I got in and hopefully that's what I did. I tried my hardest, I put it out there, and yeah there's a lot of games I was unsatisfied with my performance but that's what it's about; just learning from your last game, trying to be better than your last game, that's how I like to look at it. I think for a while I was getting better with each game for a while before I got injured, but I love being able to play and make an impact.
GD: How nice was it to have experienced players around you that could help you in your transition from high school to college soccer?
BB: It was awesome. I would say Caitlin [Cosme] was a huge advocate, supporter of me even though we played the same position. She really took me under her wing, helped me as much as she could. This helped a lot, because it's really overwhelming to be thrown into the college environment as a freshman and you just don't know what the standards are, what the coaches want, what your new role is, stuff like that. So, I remember that Caitlin was always really comforting, and would text me before games, and be like 'I'm so excited for you today, you're gonna crush it. Just giving words of encouragement or wisdom was super helpful because it can be really overwhelming, especially if you don't have anyone there for guidance. I loved having Caitlin because she was my position, and so I could resonate with her the most. So yeah, it was awesome.
GD:One of Duke's coaches, Carla Overbeck, oversees the defense. With her outstanding college, professional and U.S. Soccer background, how nice is it to learn from one of the best to play the game?
BB: Oh my Gosh, it's amazing. I don't think you can ask for more than a retired professional. I can't, I don't think it gets better than that. Not many colleges, not many student-athletes can say that they had that in a coach. It's awesome, she's a great coach, great person. She is also a mother figure for us, she's a great coach but she's also a great figure for us girls to confide in sometimes. I'm so happy that I get to play under her and be here while she's while she's here.
GD:Last year, you were able to play against your sister in a match. What was that like?
BB: That was something we never expected to happen, so it was really cool that it did happen. We're four years apart so we always miss each other in terms of groups. Freshman year is always her graduating, and would've been her being out of college already by the time I was a freshman but she stayed for a fifth year, so all of a sudden there was this tiny intersection that we were both in college. My parents were pumped, I was excited, she was excited that it was going to happen. We didn't see each other much in the game, it wasn't that crazy or climatic because we both play center back, so we're on opposite end lines. I don't think I saw her once. Honestly, it was just a nice experience to be able to play against her. I think my parents enjoyed it the most, they had customized t-shirts and everything. So yeah, it was nice.
GD: What have you been up to this summer?
BB: Honestly, every day is a grind. My entire priority is my recovery, so I really haven't done much else. I did shadow one of my friend's parents, who is a surgeon. I'm interested in being a surgeon for a career and I have interests in orthopedic and plastic surgery. I think that's the only thing outside of soccer that I indulged in. It was cool, it was like a four-hour surgery, a facelift. It was an interesting experience. I did a little bit in terms of my career, academically, but it was literally just that, outside of strength training.
GD: How excited are you to get back on the pitch with your teammates for the upcoming season?
BB:Â I'm pumped because this is what I've been leading up to for the past eight months of my life; this season. I'm dedicating my whole entire summer to it, and so as my teammates start to come back it will feel more real, more exciting. I miss my teammates, I miss having people around and training with people and stuff like that. So, I'm super excited, I think we have a promising year ahead of us, so yeah I'm ready to go.
#GoDuke
Â
Bruster, who hails from Atlanta, Ga., has been in the recovery process since then and GoDuke.com sat down with Woodward Academy product to see how she is progressing heading into the 2022 campaign. Â
GoDuke.com:Â I know everyone is curious how you are doing since you were injured last September against North Carolina?
Baleigh Bruster: It's been a long time. It's been eight and a half months since my operation. I don't know how to put it into one word, those eight months, the duration of that time has been full of different emotions and different challenges. Each month is a new obstacle to overcome. In the early months it was simply trying to revive the muscles in my leg and be able to trigger them, to use them, and just get them working with the mind, body, muscle connection, which is really tough. Walking was hard for a long time as I was in a brace for a little while. Then after walking came running, running took a while. Right now, I'm just doing a lot of strength, and a lot of bend, movement, trying to get pivoting, cutting, twisting, turning, everything you need for soccer. It has been challenging, that's for sure. But I think I've taken it well.
GD: Since being injured, what was it like having to sit on the sideline and watch – not being able to be on the field helping your teammates?
BB: Being a bystander in a game that you've always been involved in was really hard. Not only was I not able to play, but I couldn't participate, and the thing is that I normally play every day, train every day, training Monday through Friday, games on Thursdays and Saturdays, whatever the schedule is. It was really hard. I mean I love watching soccer, but not when it's not by choice and it's because I can't play, and it was challenging when we were having our troughs and struggling a bit last year --- not to be able to do anything to help. There's always a way to contribute to the team even if it's not physically, so just being supportive, being the person on the sideline that's positive, and just cheering people on.
GD: Did you learn anything about yourself and see the game differently watching from the sideline?
BB: I would say in general, just being a freshman here at Duke with the program, there was a lot to learn even while I was playing. Being taken off the field and watching from the sideline was really helpful. This is because you see the different style of play here than I was introduced to and it was kind of hard to adjust to it, so I feel like I was able to observe what they want, the style of play, especially from my position. I was kind of new to my position because I usually play with three center backs instead to two, and I had a hard time adjusting to that. So, being able to watch that without participating in the trial and error of understanding it i think was helpful because now I have a good grasp what that position is from my teammates and watching my teammates and watching them play games. Being able to watch all of training -- I was at every training session on the sideline. So yeah, I would say tactically it was helpful to be able to be on the sideline for a while.
GD: How lucky do you feel to have this medical staff and the other facilities offered here?
BB: I'm so lucky, I'm so privileged to have access to everything here, the people here, the facilities here. The attention I get here, everything is super feasible. If I need anything I'm taken care of. It's been awesome. The treatment I've received, if I ever have any problems I know I have someone to go to. Everything they do is in my best interest and they want me to back just as badly as I want to be back. It's funny because they've been working with me for almost a year now, so we really got to know each other and it's nice being with someone whose been next to you the whole way, since day one to all the way and they understand what I've been through and how far I've come, so it's nice to have someone witness how far I've come. It's been really nice.
GD: You came in as a freshman and started two matches and played 349 minutes over seven matches. GD:What was it like to come in as a rookie and make such an impact on the team?
BB: It was awesome, every game I got to play was. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't stressful, because it was. Trying to earn playing time, to prove your worth on the field, to get that position - it was stressful, and that's something I hadn't had to do before coming into college. I've always just had my position, I've never had to fight for it. So that was new for me, but with that said because of that every minute I got on the field was not taken for granted. I loved every minute that I could get, and I wanted to do the best I could when I got in and hopefully that's what I did. I tried my hardest, I put it out there, and yeah there's a lot of games I was unsatisfied with my performance but that's what it's about; just learning from your last game, trying to be better than your last game, that's how I like to look at it. I think for a while I was getting better with each game for a while before I got injured, but I love being able to play and make an impact.
GD: How nice was it to have experienced players around you that could help you in your transition from high school to college soccer?
BB: It was awesome. I would say Caitlin [Cosme] was a huge advocate, supporter of me even though we played the same position. She really took me under her wing, helped me as much as she could. This helped a lot, because it's really overwhelming to be thrown into the college environment as a freshman and you just don't know what the standards are, what the coaches want, what your new role is, stuff like that. So, I remember that Caitlin was always really comforting, and would text me before games, and be like 'I'm so excited for you today, you're gonna crush it. Just giving words of encouragement or wisdom was super helpful because it can be really overwhelming, especially if you don't have anyone there for guidance. I loved having Caitlin because she was my position, and so I could resonate with her the most. So yeah, it was awesome.
GD:One of Duke's coaches, Carla Overbeck, oversees the defense. With her outstanding college, professional and U.S. Soccer background, how nice is it to learn from one of the best to play the game?
BB: Oh my Gosh, it's amazing. I don't think you can ask for more than a retired professional. I can't, I don't think it gets better than that. Not many colleges, not many student-athletes can say that they had that in a coach. It's awesome, she's a great coach, great person. She is also a mother figure for us, she's a great coach but she's also a great figure for us girls to confide in sometimes. I'm so happy that I get to play under her and be here while she's while she's here.
GD:Last year, you were able to play against your sister in a match. What was that like?
BB: That was something we never expected to happen, so it was really cool that it did happen. We're four years apart so we always miss each other in terms of groups. Freshman year is always her graduating, and would've been her being out of college already by the time I was a freshman but she stayed for a fifth year, so all of a sudden there was this tiny intersection that we were both in college. My parents were pumped, I was excited, she was excited that it was going to happen. We didn't see each other much in the game, it wasn't that crazy or climatic because we both play center back, so we're on opposite end lines. I don't think I saw her once. Honestly, it was just a nice experience to be able to play against her. I think my parents enjoyed it the most, they had customized t-shirts and everything. So yeah, it was nice.
GD: What have you been up to this summer?
BB: Honestly, every day is a grind. My entire priority is my recovery, so I really haven't done much else. I did shadow one of my friend's parents, who is a surgeon. I'm interested in being a surgeon for a career and I have interests in orthopedic and plastic surgery. I think that's the only thing outside of soccer that I indulged in. It was cool, it was like a four-hour surgery, a facelift. It was an interesting experience. I did a little bit in terms of my career, academically, but it was literally just that, outside of strength training.
GD: How excited are you to get back on the pitch with your teammates for the upcoming season?
BB:Â I'm pumped because this is what I've been leading up to for the past eight months of my life; this season. I'm dedicating my whole entire summer to it, and so as my teammates start to come back it will feel more real, more exciting. I miss my teammates, I miss having people around and training with people and stuff like that. So, I'm super excited, I think we have a promising year ahead of us, so yeah I'm ready to go.
#GoDuke
Â
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