Battling Through Two ACL Tears

It isn’t easy coming back from a torn ACL. Recovery includes having to relearn how to walk and run, taking nearly nine months.

That is what Bailey Peschel of the Texas State soccer team had to go through last fall and the first half of 2023.

The Cypress, Texas native and the rest of the Bobcats had just wrapped up non-conference play at the Bobcat Soccer Complex against 16th-ranked TCU and were preparing for their Sun Belt Conference opener against Arkansas State in mid-September. During a practice session that week, Peschel was going for the ball when she felt and heard a pop in her right knee.

An MRI afterwards confirmed the devasting news for the senior - a torn ACL.

“I was hopeful that they could be wrong but hearing it was confirmed as a complete tear was really hard news to hear,” said Peschel. “I had to miss the culmination of my senior season, so I was heartbroken to say the least.”

While she would lose out on finishing her senior campaign, all hope wasn’t lost. Thanks to the NCAA granting all student-athletes an extra-year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic Peschel had the chance to continue playing.

“I knew I wasn’t done. I’ve loved soccer since I was five and wasn’t ready to be done and wanted to make a comeback,” said Peschel. “I shifted my attitude towards the recovery and rehab process and being the best cheerleader on the sidelines.”

Peschel would have surgery to repair her ACL on September 28, 2022. The very next day she would begin physical therapy to get back on the pitch.

The rehab started out small like slightly bending and straightening the knee. She also worked on strengthening the muscles in her leg. Eventually it progressed to learning how to walk again followed by relearning to run four and a half months after surgery. It would take nine months from her surgery date for her to be fully cleared to return to playing soccer. 

During the rehab process, Peschel learned to focus on the little things.

“Tearing my ACL was one of the hardest trials I’ve ever gone through both physically and mentally. It’s a constant challenge to stay positive,” Peschel stated. “By nature, I’m not a very patient person but I had to learn patience and just celebrate those little wins and focusing on getting better day by day.”

“I think being a faithful person, believing in myself and never giving up is what really got me through it.”

Peschel had plenty of support from her parents, roommates, teammates and coaching staff during her recovery and rehab process. Her mom, Susie, would help her by sending inspirational quotes and was a big influence in staying positive throughout the journey.

Off the pitch after her surgery, Peschel was still on the sidelines for all the home matches doing what she could to be a leader and cheering on her teammates.

“Bailey is a super positive person and a leader,” said Texas State head soccer coach Steve Holeman. “When she got put into a different role, she found a way to help motivate the team in different ways since she couldn’t be on the field.”

During the 2023 spring semester, Peschel wasn’t the only soccer student-athlete going through rehab. Haley Shaw was recovering from knee surgery, as well, and saw first-hand how hard Peschel worked to get back to playing.

“She was always pushing herself to be the best. Bailey never took any day lightly and always worked hard,” said Shaw. “She put in 100 percent of her effort into everything and was always brave going into her new exercise, not letting her fear hold her back.”

Peschel’s leadership and experience with how hard rehab can be has also helped Shaw in her own recovery process this year.

“Bailey has helped me keep a positive mindset through everything. When I need someone to talk or cry to, she is always my go to person,” Shaw said. “She reminds me that every day, even when I don’t feel like it, I’m getting stronger and will get to my goal eventually. Bailey has helped me see the brighter side to all of this and helped me learn a lot about myself through this process.”

Peschel was full go when preseason camp started at the beginning of August and was excited to be back on the pitch.

“That feeling was great! It was just the best feeling to be cleared and getting back knowing that those nine months of hard work paid off while getting to do what I love again,” said Peschel.

Prior to the start of the season, she was named was one of the team’s captains for the second straight year.

The now graduate student would play in and start seven of the Bobcats’ non-conference matches that saw her record an assist in each of the first two contests. She would also tally the first opening goal just 34 seconds into the match, tied for the third fastest in program history, against Texas Southern in a contest that ended with a 4-0 victory.

Nearly a year to the date of her ACL tear, Peschel and Texas State traveled to take on Houston on September 10. Early in the second half of the contest she felt a pop in her right knee. The forward would continue to play for nearly 10 more minutes before being subbed off in the 65th minute.

“I kept telling myself that this is not going to happen again and you’re going to get to finish out your season. I kept thinking really positive thoughts,” said Peschel.

The bad news came in a few days later for Peschel that she completely tore her ACL. Worst yet was that it was again in her right knee.

Good news for Peschel was that her muscles around her knee were strong enough that she had the option to continue playing with assistance from a brace if she chose to do so. Thus, putting surgery off until after the Bobcats’ season was done. The decision was an easy one for her.

“For me it was a no brainer. I knew I still wasn’t done. I went through last year not being able to play the conference games and then this year I retore it right before conference started again,” said Peschel. “I just really wanted to be there and still get to play. I was determined to not let this stop me and keep going event when things were hard.”

Peschel had to miss the Sun Belt Conference opener against Louisiana but returned at Arkansas State with a brace, seeing nine minutes on the pitch. She got her brace the day before the contest with the Red Wolves and adapted pretty quickly to wearing it. Since then, she has played in all four matches and made two starts.

While a long recovery process awaits her after the season with another ACL surgery, Peschel is grateful for every moment on the field.

“I will always be thankful that God gave me the opportunity to continue playing on a torn ACL this season and each game means that much more to me!”