AST Athlete Journal: Aidan Kometz
Alberta has given us our first taste of spring and it has me extremely excited for this coming year. I have now gone the entire winter season without skiing and probably won’t get to until way later in the year. My ACL tear and reconstruction has created the longest time in my life I have gone without ski racing. Looking back it still feels too crazy to believe.
My last race was April 19th, 2024. It was actually one of my better races of that season. I had struggled with GS for a while, always failing to make lasting changes to my skiing, but I was always told to “trust the process” and so I did. At this very last race something clicked and it started to come together. My work in training was finally transferring to my racing. Finishing on a successful race left me motivated and happily anxious for the next season. However, four days into our first pre-season training camp in Switzerland I tore my ACL and meniscuses. This effectively stole the whole coming year of racing from me. So now my next competition will be in December of this year, a full 20 months since my last. One of the hardest things about ACL reconstruction is staying motivated. Being out for so long can make you feel hopeless and makes it very hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. That’s why this new warmer weather is so exciting. It is a constant reminder that I am so much closer to skiing and competing again.
Another inspiring reminder of how skiing is just barely beyond my reach is my progress and success in the gym. I have never been so dedicated to working out and the results are evident. I no longer notice my knee during any daily activities. Walking feels like it always used to. I have been doing lots of track work too, focusing on dynamic movements and can basically run now. Even my testing on force plates has shown some reductions in asymmetry as I learn how to jump again. Although I am primarily focused on my squat form, I am back to squatting a decent weight. My biggest setback for my knee has been the pain and tension I feel when bending it past 90°,specifically the harvest site where they took part of my quadricep tendon and used it to replace my ACL. However, this is to be expected as it takes a long time for my tendon to return to its pre-surgery strength. I am also comforted by all the other CSI athletes who have gone through similar injuries. They share their experiences of returning to snow and help answer all my questions. It is always better to know you aren’t alone.
It feels like my injury journey is coming to an end even though it is far from over. The hardest part of all this was the inactivity. Being stuck in a place where you aren’t allowed to do any recreational activity for an active person is its own type of prison. You have to sit on the sidelines in what feels like a sedentary lifestyle and just wait as your body heals. It has taught me too much about patience and positive thinking, but I am glad to see it coming to an end. Even though it is still ages till I compete at a prime skiing level, my activity and lifestyle has been unpaused. I have been biking outside, throwing the baseball with my dad and brother, working on my football spiral with Caleb, and even playing some soccer with the younger kids in my neighbourhood. It is a weird feeling returning to what should be your normal, but one I am saviour because it proves my hard work is paying off.
I hope to come and watch as many spring series races as possible. My teammates have been dedicated this whole year and I can’t wait to see how they succeed. I am also very grateful for so many people who have helped me in ways they might not understand. My family has always been there whenever I needed this winter. Caleb and Jamie, my fellow teammates, who I am grateful to have consistently brought life to my recovery and help me bear the burden of injury. My trainer and Physiotherapist, Nate and Kevin, have been a huge piece of my ability to bounce back and I am grateful for their expertise. It is hard to put into words how excited I am for the next season. My past year racing and coming year wouldn’t be possible with the people at Alberta Alpine and the sponsors supporting us. GMC Dealers of Alberta, Karbon Sports, Genstar Canada, Mountain Fire Foods, and Gear Up Mountain Sports are some amazing organisations that actively support our community. Thank you to everyone!