FALLEN STAR - CHRIS BOUCHER

The news of Chris Boucher’s injury is not only unfortunate for Chris Boucher, his family, and the Oregon Ducks, but also to all his fans here in Montreal. Injuries are a part of the game, but you never expect them to happen to you, or to someone you're rooting for. While these are freak accidents, there are always two questions you ask yourself: Why me? Was there anything I could have done to avoid this? To answer both these questions you need one thing: Mental fortitude. Was there anything I could have done to avoid this? Maybe not, many injuries are just freak accidents, we all remember Kevin Ware, while others are just dumb, Enes Kanter breaking his arm after punching a chair (obviously avoidable). Clearly some injuries are just unavoidable but there is the little voice in your head that says: I should have stretched more, I should have iced, I should rest more, ate properly, slept properly, and maybe this wouldn't have happened.

Therefore, this blog is for all ballers especially the young ones; take care of your body. Make sure you hydrate properly and stretch to maintain strength in your muscles and ligaments. Be consistent with your work in the weight room and assure yourself you're training properly and not straining your body. While injuries cant be avoided 100% of the time, you can lower the chances of getting injured by simply taking care of your body. Now, we’re not saying that Chris Boucher didn't do this in fact at Oregon, it is highly likely with an elite basketball program with amazing facilities, great trainers, and athletic therapists that his body was in tip top form. That's the unfortunate part, you can do all of this and still crumble to an injury. This leads to the second question: Why me?

This is where mental fortitude comes in, either you can feel bad for yourself. You can go around talking about how good you would have been without those injuries. You can become one of those “back in the day” ballers at the YMCAs or you can accept the challenge. You accept that this is your path; that it is simply a detour, but that you will arrive at your destination regardless. Injuries may change your body, change your game even (a la Grant Hill), but you cant let it change your belief. Control what you can control, give everything you can to the things and people you care about and you will never fail.

Hoops On The Rise.