If you play sports at an elite level long enough, it is inevitable that you or a teammate may sustain a traumatic injury or develop a chronic injury that requires physical therapy in order to repair and recover.
I can think of nothing worse in sports than injury. Even losing — as much as we hate it — is better than sustaining an injury because at least you can train and prepare to win your next game. Thanks to my strength and conditioning regimen, I had managed to avoid any major sidelining injury for the better part of the past 15 years.
That is, until last November, when I ran into a blind pick with my shoulder open as I was preparing to throw a check. My arm instantly went into shock and I could barely hold my stick.