FUEL
INSPIRATION continued from page 13
In the hospital, Lambert stretched out her arm to squeeze her coach’s hand. Still foggy from anesthesia, Lambert had just one question for Medeiros: “Am I still on the team?” “Of course,” Medeiros
said. “You are the team.” Lambert and Moran, both New Hampshire natives who played club lacrosse for Granite State Elite, were coming off standout freshman campaigns for the River Hawks. Both were named to the America East All-Rookie Team.
While Moran is more of “a gamer,” an independent- minded workhorse, Lambert is “a showboater,” Medeiros said, a social butterfly on the field whose sense of humor has helped her cope with the severity of her injury. After the accident, Medeiros addressed the team “very delicately,” but Lambert and Moran made it easier by being surprisingly upbeat. After Moran was released from Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, she visited Lambert in Boston. “Our first interaction since the accident was emotional, but above all, I was so relieved she was OK. We both feel very lucky to be alive,” said Moran, who expects to make a full recovery for the 2017 season. “I want to continue moving forward with my head up. While the circumstances are tough, it could’ve been a lot worse.” Lambert’s next step is selecting a prosthetic company after testing at the K4 level during physical therapy. K-levels, which range from 0-4, are determined by a patient’s ability to walk following a tragic incident. K0 indicates zero mobility, while K4 means the patient has the ability to exceed basic movement with high energy levels, typical of the prosthetic demands for an athlete.
“Once I get my prosthetic, I want to be able to do all the sprints with the team. I want to be able to do
14 US LACROSSE MAGAZINE November 2016
“AM I STILL ON THE TEAM?”
everything with the team. I don’t want to be missing out,” said Lambert, who will take on a student-coach role in the spring. “They even said to me during physical therapy that I was doing well so quickly. They were surprised, but they knew I was an athlete.”
Despite phantom pains,
Lambert remains strong, completing at-home exercises on a daily basis and going to physical therapy at Catholic Medical Center in nearby Manchester, N.H., to ensure her hips stay straight. She also stays active with the goal of strengthening her arms and right leg.
Moran, who will also
start physical therapy soon, has taken it upon herself to make Lambert her first priority as the two will be suitemates for the next school year.
“I know she has some tough days ahead of her, but I am going to be there to do what I can to help make this adjustment easier for her,” Moran said. “No one knows Noelle’s toughness like I do. I have played with her and against her. She and I are roommates and she is one of my closest friends. If there is anyone who can create something positive
out of this, it will be Noelle.” USL
USlacrosse.org
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68