Dedicated college athletes give so much time and effort to their respective sports. It is a year-round commitment to their craft, but what happens when they are unable to cash in at that time? What happens when they’re robbed of their work?
Injuries are an unfortunate part of athletics. Playing hurt is an unpleasant experience, to say the least. Getting injured is still even more miserable. You get your passion ripped away from you. You give everything to play a game you love, and it ends up hurting you. It is a brutal process to go through.
College athletes already go through a lot and go through even more when they’re injured. School and athletics are already a full plate, but when you're injured, you lose the release that the respective sport provides. That gap is filled with rehab, treatment, and rest. You make trips to orthopedic doctors for X-rays and MRIs. The process puts a ton of weight on these young adults who continue to play a game they love.
Sophomore running back Rocco Schirripa has been through this process in both of his years at Dean. Schirripa dealt with an MCL injury during the last season, and this year he has dealt with a torn UCL in his thumb. “Last year, my mentality, when I was injured and didn’t live up to my personal expectations, was that I was done. Football wasn’t fun. I wasn’t enjoying what I was doing. I was ready to move on.”
It was a last-second decision this summer by Schirripa to come back and play football at Dean. The new culture created by Head Coach Andrae Murphy and a conversation with Coach Adam Robinson pulled him back in. “This year, things completely changed. The new coaching staff did a great job of making me feel welcome. The culture is a completely different vibe from last year. Everyone is really close on the team. The coaches genuinely care. The season hasn’t totally gone to plan, but it’s the first time in my life where I’ve felt a part of something that’s moving in the right direction.”
Schirripa is a member of a super-talented running back room. Snaps were hard to come by throughout the year, but he still managed to find a role on special teams. Many people tend to overlook the third facet of the game but not at Dean. Schirripa knew that special teams was his way to make an impact. “I had to accept the fact that I wasn’t a one or a two on the RB depth chart. I did everything in my power on special teams to highlight that I still am a great football player. Right when I felt like I was finding my rhythm though is when I injured my thumb against Nichols, just as I felt I was starting to prove myself."
Schirripa has a future goal of coaching football, something Coach Tom Keane is aware of. Keane gave Schirripa an opportunity few players get to experience, and that was to take the headset and assist the coaching staff from the press box. “One of our coaches wasn’t going to make it to an away game, so Coach Keane came to me with the opportunity. I’d be up in the box to help with communication. I’d relay information on calls and coverage between others in the box and guys on the field. I was incredibly grateful for the opportunity. Not being able to help on the field hurts. Still being able to contribute to the team as best I can felt amazing.”
Schirripa has a couple of weeks left in his cast following thumb surgery. He’s looking forward to going through the rehab process and getting healthy to begin training again. Training for a junior year will now have even more added motivation.