Fakahokotau’s worst day
Temalisi Fakahokotau has described the moment she suffered a World Cup-ending knee injury as the ‘‘worst day of my life’’.
Noeline Taurua’s first training session as Silver Ferns coach in September signalled a new era after one of the most tumultuous periods in New Zealand netball history.
For Fakahokotau, it will always be tinged with dark memories after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her right knee, an injury that is expected to keep her sidelined for nine months and rule her out of July’s World Cup in England.
After a standout national premiership with the Mainland Tactix, where she was the best defender in the league, it was a crushing blow for Fakahokotau, who was set to be New Zealand’s starting goal keep under Taurua.
‘‘That day was probably the worst day of my life, to be honest,’’ Fakahokotau told Stuff.
‘‘As soon as I heard ACL, I burst into tears and thought about everything that had happened for me to get to that point. Then it was just gone with a click. Everything just changed.’’
Fakahokotau sustained the injury jumping in the air trying to win the ball. Her upper body went one way, her lower body went the other and her knee gave way.
She could bend her knee and wasn’t in excruciating pain, fuelling hope it was just a minor niggle. The 24-year-old even thought the Silver Fern medics could strap the knee and get her back on court immediately. But it was far more serious.
Fakahokotau also suffered damage to her medial collateral ligament (MCL) and part of her meniscus.
As far as hard luck stories go, it’s certainly up there for netball.
Over the past two years, Fakahokotau has resurrected her career after leaving her tight-knit Tongan family in Auckland, featuring eight other siblings and eight nieces and nephews. Having stagnated at the Northern Mystics, she shifted south to join the Tactix in Christchurch.
She’s healthier, happier, fiercely determined, and it’s translated onto the court, where she’s been a revelation for the Tactix and gained a recall to the Silver Ferns last year.
‘‘It’s real hard for me to swallow that I potentially won’t be able to make it [to the World Cup] and I’ve got to wait another four years for that opportunity to come back again.
‘‘I missed out on the first one back when I first made it into the Ferns in 2015. Having to wait another four years to try and make it to the World Cup again, who knows what’s going to happen in the next four years.’’
Fakahokotau underwent knee surgery at Christchurch’s St George’s Hospital four weeks after the injury, once the swelling subsided. A month on from the operation, she’s philosophical about what lies ahead.
She is already putting her time on the sideline to good use. Next year, she will study first year social work papers at Christchurch’s Ara Institute after discovering a passion for helping others while working as a teacher aide.