Sophomore Justin DiGennaro underwent the first of two surgeries on his hip in early October. His second surgery is planned for later this year, in November, and he will have to go through a long recovery to return to his peak performance as a hockey player.
DiGennaro has played hockey for 4 years for the Hawks, a hockey club. He was thinking about joining the FHC hockey team this winter, but his surgeries are keeping him off the ice for this season.
“I’ve had a problem with my hip for about 6 years,” DiGennaro said. “I had an overgrown bone in my hip flexor. It would rub against my labrum, and that caused it to start to tear, and it was very painful. I had to quit other sports like soccer because of it.”
DiGennaro’s 4-year career at the Hawks included 2 healthy years and 2 injured years. He started this year by practicing for this season, but the hip problem grew larger. This was the point where he could no longer ignore it as he had been for years, but finally was forced to consult doctors about options to fix the problem.
“I plan to be back on the ice next spring, and my Doctors have high hopes for my recovery,” DiGennaro said. “Physical therapy is going well, and they say I should return to my old physical capabilities.”
Leaving a club after 4 years playing there is tough. As Justin is recovering from the surgery, he looks back at the memories of his years with the Hawks as they come to an end, and he moves on to the FHC varsity team.
“Being around that team and the culture they had was one of my favorite memories,” DiGennaro said. “Being able to play with them and the coaches was very special. I also just love playing hockey; I’ve had a passion for it most of my life.”
DiGennaro was unsure if he would join the FHC team this year or in his junior year, but the surgery made the decision for him. Although unable to play this winter season, he plans to support the team as they start their season soon, looking to carry the success from last year into a new season after falling short in the regional finals. He plans to attend spring and summer practices with the team as well, aiming for a clean start to his career at FHC next year. The surgery not only affected his hockey practices, but also his weightlifting hobby.
“The surgery obviously kept me from going to the gym, as lifting weights is one of my favorite hobbies,” DiGennaro said. “Not only is it a hobby, but I also do it to help myself in hockey. Just like football, you need to be very strong to play hockey. It’s a very physical and tiring sport. I find the gym as a place to relieve the stress of school. My parents influenced me to start weightlifting, and it can really help my life in different ways.”
Moving up from a club to the next level in a sport, a varsity high school team, is already a hard transition. Having undergone two hip surgeries makes it even harder for DiGennaro. He plans not to let the surgeries be an excuse, but a motivation to work harder to return as a hockey star when next season starts.
“My surgery definitely set me back a while from that change to varsity. I don’t want to let that get in my way, though. I plan to watch the games this year. I can use this time to study our team, other teams, and how everything works on a varsity team,” DiGennaro stated. “I also learned that I need better patience. I’ve never really had good patience in my life, and being injured now definitely shows me that everything needs patience. I’ve also changed my mindset. Before the surgery, I’ve always had that mentality of I always want and need to play, and pain can’t stop me, but I have since learned that injuries are a part of being an athlete.”
While at a low right now, DiGennaro hopes that once he returns, it will be worth all the pain he has gone through the last few years at his hockey club and his former soccer team.
“I have been back from injury before, and it really feels amazing to get back on that field or ice,” DiGennaro said. “Although my other injuries have never been as big or long as this one will be, hopefully that means the feeling of returning to hockey next year will feel even greater than before.”
