AST Athlete Journal: Katie Smith
Hello everyone, it’s Katie checking in for my second athlete journal of the season.
It has been an interesting season so far. Right before Christmas I was in one of the best places I’ve ever been in my skiing. I had just come off a strong preseason and was finally figuring out my skiing and for the first time in a while, I felt like everything was coming together. I was confident, excited, and just loving skiing.
But then things changed. I crashed racing GS in the Panorama Christmas series on December 20. When I hit my head, I didn’t think much of it at first. I didn’t really understand what a concussion was, and I thought I was fine. It wasn’t until I tried to race the next day that I realized something was wrong. I felt unsafe in my own body, which is a really hard feeling to describe. My timing was off, I didn’t feel in control, and something just wasn’t right. That was the moment it really hit me that I couldn’t just push through. Looking back, feeling nauseous and dizzy aren’t normal.
Following my crash and right before Christmas I went to the Benson Concussion Clinic for diagnosis and treatment. The first 2 weeks went by fast. I felt better every day and was able to do more each day but it was also Christmas break and I was relaxing with my family. It turned out that the recovery process was a lot harder than I expected. At first, I thought it would be quick, but progress wasn’t linear. Some days I felt better, and then symptoms would come back. The hardest part was feeling so close to being okay, but not actually being there. It was frustrating to feel like I was improving, but still not able to train or race the way I wanted to. I was still getting symptoms with activity but it seemed like they were slowly getting better.
Another really difficult part was watching my team compete while I couldn’t. I had never felt that left out before. I wanted so badly to be out there with them, especially knowing the shape I had been in before the injury. It made me realize how much I love competing and being part of the team environment. I now understand how the parents feel about watching live timing from afar!
It wasn’t until the third week that I realized concussions are a lot more serious than I thought. My symptoms weren’t really improving anymore and when I would do harder activities I would feel really sick. When my progress stalled Dr. Benson sent me to a neuro optometrist for assessment. This is when I learned that my eyes weren’t working together and not tracking properly. I began vision therapy and quickly experienced improvement. It was amazing! It was exciting to have something to work on that made such an immediate difference. I was cleared on January 26 and I started training immediately and was excited to join the team after 6 weeks off.
Looking back, this experience taught me a lot. I learned how important it is to listen to my body, even when it’s hard to slow down. As athletes, we’re so used to pushing through things, but this was something I couldn’t ignore. It also taught me patience, which is something I’ve always struggled with. Recovery doesn’t happen on your timeline, and I had to accept that. Concussions are scary and I am glad that I took the proper time to fully recover and I’m grateful for the support from my team, coaches and the team at Benson Concussion clinic.
This experience has changed me as an athlete. I have a greater appreciation for my health and for the ability to train and compete. It also made me stronger mentally, because I had to stay motivated and positive even when I wasn’t able to do what I love most. Even though it was a setback, I think it will help me in the long run. It reminded me why I love skiing so much, and I’ve come back more aware, resilient, and motivated.
The team’s most recent race was at my home hill for the Lake Louise slalom Extravaganza! It was awesome to be back at my home hill and our team of volunteers did an amazing job pulling off 2 races a day per gender. It was heartwarming to see the Lake Louise family come together to produce an amazing event while grieving the tragic loss of Emilio. My condolences go out to Emilio’s family and friends and he will forever inspire me to go faster higher further
I hope you all enjoy the rest of what this season has to offer and I look forward to seeing you on the slopes. I am grateful to our strong and inspiring Alberta Alpine community of parents, athletes, coaches and volunteers. I am also grateful for our generous sponsors. None of this would be possible without the support from the following sponsors; the GMC Dealers of Alberta, Mountain Fire Foods, Genstar, Inspired Go, Karbon, and Gear Up Mountain Sports. Thank you!
-Katie