Above and above left: After a two-year battle with knee injuries, Shelley Hammonds is back in the green and yellow. Pictures: Ian Knight Photography.By Glen Atwell
SHELLEY Hammonds was happy to endure four knee operations and two years of pain – just to get back on a basketball court.
The 23-year-old Dandenong Rangers forward is now more determined than ever to return to her best after a hectic ride on the long road to recovery.
But after two years on the sidelines, Hammonds has quickly become a forgotten star of the Women’s National Basketball League.
The challenge now is to reassert herself as one of the league’s most dangerous players.
Before being struck down with injury, Hammonds had played six seasons in the WNBL without missing a game.
She remembers ‘those days’ like a retired athlete recalling a career highlight.
“Nothing can really prepare you for such a long stint out of the game,” she said.
“From playing every game to missing an entire season is a big change.”
The 188-centimetre blonde beauty launched into the WNBL after a stellar junior career.
Hammonds was named the WNBL Rookie of the Year in 1999/2000, before being included in the prestigious WNBL All-Star Five in 2002/2003 and 2003/2004.
But it was after playing the 2004/2005 season with Perth that her right knee began to rapidly deteriorate.
Looking back at when things started to go wrong, Hammonds struggles to remember when it all started.
“It’s so far to think back, I can’t believe it’s been two years,” she said.
“It was 2005 when the pain forced me to stop training, that’s when I knew something had to be done.”
Hammonds had a dislocating patella, an instability in her kneecap that was not only a problem in itself, but also one that caused collateral damage inside the joint.
“By the time I saw a specialist, I had severe cartilage damage, it was pretty much bone on bone in some areas,” she.
Hammonds underwent an arthroscope, but her surgeon at the time failed to correct the problem and six months later, Shelley was no closer to returning to the court.
“I was told I’d be back on the court in three months,” she said.
“Six months after the surgery I was still struggling, it was a very frustrating time.”
Hammonds’ knee was still a mess when she moved to Melbourne soon after and enlisted the help of David Young, the surgeon who vowed to return her to the court.
Surgery to align her kneecap was followed six-months later by another arthroscope.
After endless rehabilitation, Hammonds was still niggled by persistent pain and went under the knife for the last time in August 2005.
It’s a long list of medical procedures, but Hammonds said she never considered giving the game away.
“I put in so much hard work before and after each operation, there was no way I was going to stop playing,” she said.
“I was determined to do everything I could to get back into the game.”
Hammonds’ passion for basketball is strikingly obvious and that eagerness spurred her through many lonely rehabilitation sessions.
“The rehab can be a real drag at times, it’s a lonely road to recovery,” she said.
“But when you’re surrounded by great people and have the support of an entire team, it makes things a little easier.”
After spending most of the current season on the sidelines, Hammonds made her much anticipated return on 5 January against the Australian Institute of Sport.
She described the moment as surreal – and that was only the warm-up.
“Just warming up gave me such a buzz, it felt so good to finally be back out there,” she said.
Hammonds played 17 minutes, scored six points and grabbed two rebounds.
It was a tough return – she can visualise what she wants to do, but getting her body to comply is another story.
“My knee is hardly the problem anymore,” she said.
“Fitness is the issue and my rhythm and timing are still out, but everything will come back.”
For now Hammonds is just happy to be back on the court, but has her sights set on some serious goals in the next couple of years.
“The Beijing Olympics are coming up, but I’ve got a lot of work to do to get there,” she said.
“I’m just thrilled to be playing again.”
At long last, Shelley Hammonds is back where she belongs.
