I’m an international rugby player who competed in the Women’s Premiership in the UK. For years, rugby was my entire world.
Then a serious injury changed everything. Suddenly I was stuck in bed for weeks, followed by months on crutches. The physical pain was tough, but the mental battle was even harder. I felt lost, hopeless, and disconnected from the identity I’d built my whole life around.
In the middle of that darkness, I remembered an idea I had for a book, I’d carried in my head for years. With nothing else to do and nowhere to go, I decided there was no time like the present. What started as a way to fill empty hours quickly became my escape and my lifeline. Writing gave me purpose when everything else felt stripped away. It helped me process the injury, rebuild my confidence, and rediscover who I am beyond the pitch.
Now, even as I work my way back to full fitness, writing remains a huge part of my life — a creative outlet that showed me strength can come in many forms.
