After two severe knee injuries, Football Fern Hannah Wilkinson is back to represent her country. Photo / Michael Cunningham
After two severe knee injuries, Football Fern Hannah Wilkinson is back to represent her country. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Against all odds, Football Fern Hannah Wilkinson is back in the national side after tearing her right anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in October last year.
The Northland-born striker, with 25 goals from 87 A internationals, overcame a near-impossible task of making April's Football Ferns squad announcement for the women's footballworld cup in France this year.
In what was her second ACL break of her career, Wilkinson, 26, suffered the injury on October 4, playing for Swedish club Vittsjo GIK. ACL tears often take about 12 months to heal but with only seven months up her sleeve, Wilkinson was obsessive in her rehabilitation.
"It was around the fourth or fifth month when I started thinking, 'I could really make this, I'm actually on track'," Wilkinson said.
"When I got the email that I was in, I just felt so satisfied because I worked so hard."
For someone with such a great love of football, Wilkinson spent her days cruelly without a ball at her feet and instead sealing herself in the gym to ensure she would be just as fit as she was when she took the field again.
The 26-year-old striker will be a force to be reckoned with come the World Cup later in the year. Photo / Micheal Cunningham
Through her commitment to recovering, Wilkinson's physical health improved quickly but she said this was only one part of the battle.
"I got to a point when I was all fine physiologically, but the next piece and the most difficult piece was getting my mind to catch up, getting used to playing football and finding joy in it.
"With any injury, there is always apprehension to return to sport and I think the major thing was to know from the experts is that I was ready to play, I just had to find the confidence.
"It's about feeling the fear but keeping in mind you have the strategies to not let it debilitate you."
After training with men's teams from the Wellington Phoenix Football Academy and Birkenhead United AFC in Auckland and support from Ferns coach Tom Sermanni, Wilkinson said she regained the confidence necessary to compete at the top level.
"The amount of support I've had is just ridiculous, it's taken a dream team to get me back out there.
"It's nice to have a coach [Sermanni] that still values you even when you're out with an injury, because that's the first thing you lose when you're out and you're isolated, you lose a bit of your identity as a footballer."
Looking ahead to the World Cup, Wilkinson said fellow Northlander Katie Rood was unlucky to miss out on what was an experienced squad.
"[Rood] was looking pretty likely to go [to the World Cup] so I think she'll be feeling it but I know she'll get a lot more opportunities in the future.
"Collectively, we've got a lot of caps and a lot of World Cup experience which is crucial in this tournament which is a very different environment."
Wilkinson said the most exciting thing for her was to be back with the players and helping the side prepare for football's biggest competition.
"I can't wait to see them and be a part of that team again, because I know they'll welcome me back with open arms."
The Ferns have matches against the United States, Mexico, England and Wales in the next month, ahead of their World Cup opener against the Netherlands on June 12.
