By ROY WARD
– Dandenong Rangers women’s draw 2013
WITH two weeks left in last year’s South East Australian Basketball League season, Dandenong Rangers guard Clare Papavs knew two things.
That her Rangers women’s team was on the verge of another title and that she was certain to spend at least six months of her off-season off the court.
So the 26-year-old left-hander played through the pain barrier with patella tendonitis, a sore ankle and an injured right elbow and helped her side to an emotional third-straight SEABL women’s title.
Then on the Monday after the grand final she had plasma injected into her knees to help regenerate his straining tendons. Then later in summer she had an ankle reconstruction and also had elbow surgery to fix the issues with her right elbow.
“Originally, I found out about two weeks before the end of the season that my tendonitis was so bad I was almost ready to rupture both tendons,” she said. “So I was going to have to sit out for six months, then they told me that I was going to need an ankle reconstruction in the next couple of years so we decided to get it and the elbow done as well.”
While the joys of winning another SEABL title, along with playing in the Rangers WNBL title win last March, were an unfortgettable experience, working through a long rehabilitation after eight years of playing year-long basketball took its toll on Papavs.
Known for her relentless attitude to training, Papavs pushed herself to hit the gym and do upper body work, at least until her elbow was operated on, while she also did plenty of splashing and kicking in the swimming pool to keep the strength in her ankle and knees.
Once she got back on her feet, Papavs hit the gym with a vengenence to rebuilt her fitness and strength ahead of the new season spending as much as four days a week doing gym work.
Papavs was allowed back onto the court in February but went way too hard in her first training and ended up with swollen knees and another round of plasma injections.
As to whether Papavs may tone down her training and effort levels to avoid her “over-use” injuries, don’t expect that to happen any time soon. “I’m one of those people — it’s all or nothing,” she said. “I think it’s the reason I’ve achieved what I have so I don’t know any other way to play.”
The Rangers will be coached by Paul Flynn this season who steps in for Larissa Anderson while the Rangers have returned the core of their championship team with the exception of forward Hope Terdich who has joined Sandringham.
Papavs said she thought her side was being underestimated ahead of the new season, something she knew they would remedy once the season got going. “A lot of the girls are especially hungry to do well this season with a few moving up the roster,” she said. “There will be a little adjustment period as Paul has a few things he wants to do differently but his system is very similar to Larissa’s so we once we get through the first few weeks we will be fine.”
The SEABL seasons starts on Friday night.
