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Patience and Persistence: Carina Lageyre’s Return to Play
4/19/2024 11:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
By Charlotte Tannenbaum, Duke Athletics Communications Student Assistant
DURHAM – Brilliant saves, near misses, devastating losses, and victories at the final whistle: any fan can tell you that soccer is a game full of unexpected ups and downs. For a player, perhaps the most unwelcome surprise is injury. This was the case for Carina Lageyre, a sophomore who was sidelined for much of her debut season with a frustrating hamstring injury in 2022. Following a recovery marked by patience and determination, Lageyre returned to the pitch this past season and has been making up for lost time.
Lageyre's injury first occurred in the summer of 2022, while she was in Costa Rica representing the United States in the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. She arrived in Durham shortly after, making her collegiate debut against UNC Charlotte in late August. In just her second collegiate match against second-ranked UCLA, Lageyre played 59 minutes and was very impressive. Unfortunately, Lageyre reinjured her hamstring shortly after and was sidelined for much of her freshman season.
Lageyre was not the only injured player. By supporting each other and taking it one step at a time, she and her teammates were able to make the best of a difficult situation.
"We helped each other through and celebrated the small victories, which was something we needed in those moments of adversity," Lageyre says. "When I did have those victories, it was really great to have people recognize it. All my teammates reaching out to say how proud they were of me helped the process."
Lageyre was also thankful for Duke's experienced physical therapy staff who supported her throughout her recovery.
"My mood would be different every day depending on how I felt, so it was nice to know that the staff accepted me in whatever state I was in and were willing to help me and try many different things," says Lageyre. "They were really adaptable and able to provide me with the best care."
A serious injury can be as mentally challenging as it is physically, especially for athletes as dedicated to their sport as Lageyre. Blue Devils are encouraged to talk with sports psychologists during their recovery process to make sure that their mental wellbeing is addressed along with their physical rehabilitation.
"It's great to talk it out with someone who has an unbiased opinion and just listens to you and gives you advice," says Lageyre.
The midfielder also found support in friends and family and encourages other athletes facing difficult injuries to treat themselves with kindness and keep a balanced approach to recovery.
"Reach out to close friends and let them know that it hasn't been easy, and try to find ways to get your mind off of it," she says. "Know that you're more than just a soccer player."
Lageyre's positive attitude and patience ultimately paid off: the midfielder returned to the pitch last season as a key player for the Blue Devils. When asked what kept her motivated, her response was simple: "My love for the game," she says. "I knew that I wanted to be back fully healthy and that it was going to take a lot of hard work and daily grind, but I knew that it was gonna be worth it in the end."
Lageyre, who hails from Cooper City, Fla., ultimately elected to get a PRP injection to heal the injury. Though the procedure's 3-month recovery time was a hard pill to swallow, she knew it was what she needed to do to protect herself from another more serious injury.
"Thinking bigger picture was difficult because I just wanted to play as much as possible, but knowing that the coaching staff and my teammates wanted me to be successful long term and in my future years at Duke really motivated me," said Lageyre.
Though she would have preferred being in the match, Lageyre took the new vantage point on the sidelines as an opportunity to learn.
"I was able to become more cognizant of opponents and how they were setting up, which helped me this past season in being able to read the defense and what they're giving me so that I can adjust my game."
Lageyre also kept herself busy by looking for ways to contribute to the team.
"I wanted to help my team and I feel like I was limited in that, so I just tried to do anything I could…picking up the pinnies, the water bottles, and trying my best," said Lageyre.
When she returned to the pitch, she was ready to contribute in the way she knew best. She hoped to be able to play full games and become a scoring threat for the team - both goals she accomplished as she consistently logged 90-minute performances and pulled through for the Blue Devils in critical moments.
Lageyre's standout performance last season did not go unnoticed: she earned her spot on College Soccer News National Team of the Week, TopDrawerSoccer's Honorable Mention Team of the Week, and was named ACC Offensive Player of the Week one time.
"It felt great to know that I can make a contribution on the field," said Lageyre. "I'm such a big competitor, and I just want to be able to help as much as I can to help our team achieve our ultimate goal of winning trophies."
Lageyre started all 15 matches she played in 2023, while posting two goals and four assists. She posted her first collegiate brace on the road at Boston College to help the Blue Devils to a 2-0 key ACC victory.
Still, despite their best efforts, the Blue Devils fell short of that goal last year. But Lageyre and the rest of the team are working hard in the off-season to ensure that next fall they can take it all the way.
"In the spring, it's all about individual development to help your team be collectively better," said Lageyre.
For Lageyre, that means working on her explosivity and scoring proficiency: "Affecting the score line, trying to be as dominant as possible in every drill, just having that mentality of being the best player that day," she says.
Though the season may not have ended the way she had hoped, it was full of promising moments for the young player. As somebody coming back from injury, these moments were especially crucial in restoring her confidence and her deep love for the sport.
"It's reminding me how much fun the game is and that getting the opportunity to play in college games is such a privilege," said Lageyre.
Recently, TopDrawerSoccer listed Lageyre as one of the breakout candidates for 2024 in the ACC. The midfielder will be one of the key components for a successful season next fall.
Fortunately for Duke fans, she has plenty more college games ahead of her in Durham. Thanks to the patience and persistence she showed throughout her recovery, Lageyre will undoubtedly be one to watch for the remainder of her time at Duke and far beyond.
To stay up to date with Blue Devils women's soccer, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeWSOC".
Duke Centennial
In 2024, Duke celebrates its Centennial, marking one hundred years since Trinity College became Duke University. Duke will use this historic milestone to deepen the understanding of its history, inspire pride and strengthen bonds and partnerships, and prepare for a second century of continued excellence and impactful leadership. To learn more, please visit 100.duke.edu
#GoDuke
DURHAM – Brilliant saves, near misses, devastating losses, and victories at the final whistle: any fan can tell you that soccer is a game full of unexpected ups and downs. For a player, perhaps the most unwelcome surprise is injury. This was the case for Carina Lageyre, a sophomore who was sidelined for much of her debut season with a frustrating hamstring injury in 2022. Following a recovery marked by patience and determination, Lageyre returned to the pitch this past season and has been making up for lost time.
Lageyre's injury first occurred in the summer of 2022, while she was in Costa Rica representing the United States in the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. She arrived in Durham shortly after, making her collegiate debut against UNC Charlotte in late August. In just her second collegiate match against second-ranked UCLA, Lageyre played 59 minutes and was very impressive. Unfortunately, Lageyre reinjured her hamstring shortly after and was sidelined for much of her freshman season.
Lageyre was not the only injured player. By supporting each other and taking it one step at a time, she and her teammates were able to make the best of a difficult situation.
"We helped each other through and celebrated the small victories, which was something we needed in those moments of adversity," Lageyre says. "When I did have those victories, it was really great to have people recognize it. All my teammates reaching out to say how proud they were of me helped the process."
Lageyre was also thankful for Duke's experienced physical therapy staff who supported her throughout her recovery.
"My mood would be different every day depending on how I felt, so it was nice to know that the staff accepted me in whatever state I was in and were willing to help me and try many different things," says Lageyre. "They were really adaptable and able to provide me with the best care."
A serious injury can be as mentally challenging as it is physically, especially for athletes as dedicated to their sport as Lageyre. Blue Devils are encouraged to talk with sports psychologists during their recovery process to make sure that their mental wellbeing is addressed along with their physical rehabilitation.
"It's great to talk it out with someone who has an unbiased opinion and just listens to you and gives you advice," says Lageyre.
The midfielder also found support in friends and family and encourages other athletes facing difficult injuries to treat themselves with kindness and keep a balanced approach to recovery.
"Reach out to close friends and let them know that it hasn't been easy, and try to find ways to get your mind off of it," she says. "Know that you're more than just a soccer player."
Lageyre's positive attitude and patience ultimately paid off: the midfielder returned to the pitch last season as a key player for the Blue Devils. When asked what kept her motivated, her response was simple: "My love for the game," she says. "I knew that I wanted to be back fully healthy and that it was going to take a lot of hard work and daily grind, but I knew that it was gonna be worth it in the end."
Lageyre, who hails from Cooper City, Fla., ultimately elected to get a PRP injection to heal the injury. Though the procedure's 3-month recovery time was a hard pill to swallow, she knew it was what she needed to do to protect herself from another more serious injury.
"Thinking bigger picture was difficult because I just wanted to play as much as possible, but knowing that the coaching staff and my teammates wanted me to be successful long term and in my future years at Duke really motivated me," said Lageyre.
Though she would have preferred being in the match, Lageyre took the new vantage point on the sidelines as an opportunity to learn.
"I was able to become more cognizant of opponents and how they were setting up, which helped me this past season in being able to read the defense and what they're giving me so that I can adjust my game."
Lageyre also kept herself busy by looking for ways to contribute to the team.
"I wanted to help my team and I feel like I was limited in that, so I just tried to do anything I could…picking up the pinnies, the water bottles, and trying my best," said Lageyre.
When she returned to the pitch, she was ready to contribute in the way she knew best. She hoped to be able to play full games and become a scoring threat for the team - both goals she accomplished as she consistently logged 90-minute performances and pulled through for the Blue Devils in critical moments.
Lageyre's standout performance last season did not go unnoticed: she earned her spot on College Soccer News National Team of the Week, TopDrawerSoccer's Honorable Mention Team of the Week, and was named ACC Offensive Player of the Week one time.
"It felt great to know that I can make a contribution on the field," said Lageyre. "I'm such a big competitor, and I just want to be able to help as much as I can to help our team achieve our ultimate goal of winning trophies."
Lageyre started all 15 matches she played in 2023, while posting two goals and four assists. She posted her first collegiate brace on the road at Boston College to help the Blue Devils to a 2-0 key ACC victory.
Still, despite their best efforts, the Blue Devils fell short of that goal last year. But Lageyre and the rest of the team are working hard in the off-season to ensure that next fall they can take it all the way.
"In the spring, it's all about individual development to help your team be collectively better," said Lageyre.
For Lageyre, that means working on her explosivity and scoring proficiency: "Affecting the score line, trying to be as dominant as possible in every drill, just having that mentality of being the best player that day," she says.
Though the season may not have ended the way she had hoped, it was full of promising moments for the young player. As somebody coming back from injury, these moments were especially crucial in restoring her confidence and her deep love for the sport.
"It's reminding me how much fun the game is and that getting the opportunity to play in college games is such a privilege," said Lageyre.
Recently, TopDrawerSoccer listed Lageyre as one of the breakout candidates for 2024 in the ACC. The midfielder will be one of the key components for a successful season next fall.
Fortunately for Duke fans, she has plenty more college games ahead of her in Durham. Thanks to the patience and persistence she showed throughout her recovery, Lageyre will undoubtedly be one to watch for the remainder of her time at Duke and far beyond.
To stay up to date with Blue Devils women's soccer, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeWSOC".
Duke Centennial
In 2024, Duke celebrates its Centennial, marking one hundred years since Trinity College became Duke University. Duke will use this historic milestone to deepen the understanding of its history, inspire pride and strengthen bonds and partnerships, and prepare for a second century of continued excellence and impactful leadership. To learn more, please visit 100.duke.edu
#GoDuke
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