: Rice Looks to Return Stronger in 2017
January 17, 2017 - Major League Lacrosse (MLL)
Atlanta Blaze News Release
KENNESAW - The week of July 4 th was a bittersweet one for the Atlanta Blaze. Following a big win to start the month and the announcement of naming four players to the prestigious All-Star team, the Blaze received a scary call that would cause major ripples for the team-leading scorer Kevin Rice had torn his ACL and would need to miss the remainder of the season.
Rice had been on a hot streak since the start of 2016, putting up 58 points in just nine games to lead not only the Blaze in scoring, but the entirety of the MLL. The injury came just after Matt Mackrides' season-ending injury, which was already causing line-up changes to a surging Blaze offensive unit. Losing two of their most potent scorers would serve a tragic hit to the Blaze offense.
Rice knew as soon as he fell that night in July that things were serious. Despite managing the usual wear and tear injuries common to a professional athlete, this would be the first major surgery Rice would ever undergo. Rice noted that he had suffered "broken bones and dislocated a shoulder, but I've never needed reconstructive surgery to put a limb back together."
But that would not stop Rice's determination to compete in the 2017 season harder and stronger than he was competing pre-injury. He knew he had a job to do-not only for himself, but for his teammates. Physical therapy began immediately and intensely, requiring Rice to commit many early mornings to balance his recovery with a full course load as a second-year law student at Wake Forest University. Rice recounted how his fall semester required him to "[go] to PT four to five times per week at 7 a.m. because I had to get to class at 9 a.m." However, Rice's dedication to excellence didn't stop at just therapy for his knee, adding that he also "was getting up at 5 a.m. trying to work out [before therapy] and keep the rest of my body in shape."
Rice's commitment to the team and to excellence is paying off ten-fold. On January 13th, Rice made a special trip to Atlanta to meet with the Atlanta Blaze medical staff at Pinnacle Orthopaedics to track his progress. Blaze team doctor Dr. Brandon Burris gave glowing reviews of Kevin's rehabilitation since last July stating that, "[Kevin] has brought the same work ethic that he has on the field to his rehab and is progressing right on schedule. We hope for a full recovery and a return to play this year."
Head Coach David Huntley, when asked about the challenges he thought Rice might face in his return, agreed with Dr. Burris remarking that "[Kevin] is such a tough competitor. Our real challenge will be to keep him from doing too much once we start practicing. However our hope is to have him out there as soon as he's ready, but not a minute before.
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Major League Lacrosse Stories from January 17, 2017
- : Rice Looks to Return Stronger in 2017 - Atlanta Blaze
- The Florida Launch Sign Chris Mattes to Two-Year Deal - Florida Launch
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