From the moment fall ball began last semester our team took pride in and drew strength from our small numbers, but tight knit group mentality. During our last few games our team has had a new cheer, "15!". I love the mentality and the spirit behind it, but personally it's been tough to yell, seeing as I haven't even been able to practice since the Medaille game. I've been on the sidelined for the first time in my Oberlin career, during a stretch of conference games, no less. We've got Wooster at home on Wednesday, I'm hoping to get in that one (I had hoped to be in the last two as well). It starts a string of three home games before we end the season with two on the road, I'm going to be keep being real unhappy if I spend much more time just contributing to the the 15 by fetching balls so they don't have to ball hunt at the end of practice.
It's an odd parallel to high school, have a good junior year, be a captain senior year, get injured in a bizarre way, and miss time for the first time for that team. Despite going to through a similar situation four years ago I'm having the same problems I did with it then. I've never been a vocal, speech-giving leader (Jesse's the man for that and many other things), I've always tried to lead through my play, simply be a consistent, reliable, stabilizing force on D. How do I lead without being able to play? I struggled with that in high school and I have been since I've been sat. I wish I had the answers, but I can't be someone I'm not, so I've just been doing everything I've been told to do for my rehab. That way I can get back to helping this team in the best way I know how.
-Matt Hollenbeck '09
