Kim Green: "I asked for a sign that this wouldn't be the last time I played netball"

In an exclusive series for Pickstar, Australian Diamonds netball star and Giants captain Kimberlee Green shares her year-long journey back to the court after a knee reconstruction.

In her first diary entry, Kim takes us back to the 19th of March 2017, the day she wrecked her knee and her season was declared over.

I was feeling a little sore heading into the round five game against the Adelaide Thunderbirds, we had a tough week on the training track.

I went for a long walk and did an extra stretch session with teammates Taylah Davies, Krissie Brice, and Sammy Poolman - it was a relaxed vibe.

The warm-up felt great - intense, but on point.

I was so excited to see the AFLW Giants girls there in the crowd to support our team, with each and every one of them in an Orange T-shirt with my head on it (I worked as the Player Development Manager -Welfare for them).

The game started, it was the Thunderbirds centre pass. It flew down to their attacking third and we intercepted the ball … 10 seconds in. I saw the opening to transition the ball out of defence … I drove hard with a player defending behind me and one running down the court to stop the drive.

Unfortunately for me, I was hit from behind after taking the ball, and BAM … I heard a click and it felt like my knee completely rotated and something snapped.

At first, it was the most excruciating pain I have ever felt.

It felt as though I wanted to throw up, while I also felt the strongest pressure through my chest. I could barely breathe.

I remember looking at my other leg and it was shaking from the shock, I knew straight away that my season was over.

Initially, I was sad, then angry, then sad again.

I messaged mum and Trent, my husband, to let them know that the doctor thinks it is a torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament and my season would be over.

Mum was found in the crowd and brought down to the change room. We were both in tears.

I got out of the change room at half time, I didn’t want the girls to see me upset, I sat in the change room next door and listened in on the half time chats, I knew they would fire in that second half.

Julie Fitzgerald, our coach, came and found me at half time to give me a hug and I couldn’t stop crying, neither could she. After the game, the girls were as devastated as I was.

I asked for a sign that this wasn’t going to be the last time I played netball and all of a sudden 30 minutes into our trip we actually drove through three rainbows ... not under them, through them!

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