Coming off the mental screen after injury

Coming off the mental screen after injury

The middle of a pandemic.

Newswatch 12 sports josh shelton has the story of this week's amateur athlete.

Nats sometimes the mind can set a screen on our goals 3:39 <sherman hunter says, "she went through all the emotion roller coasters you could go through" it can prevent athletes from getting back to their previous peaks.

"it's more like in your head of thinking, like, i feel like i'm gonna hurt myself again, or like that fear of it could happen again."

It's a fear of repeating a devastating injury that cost one of the top rising basketball stars her freshman season.

At just 14, donovyn hunter tore her a-c-l and m-c-l.

From there, a 16-month journey back to the hardwood.

3:54 sherman hunter says, "we can honestly say it was an up and down roller coaster moment, but we always made it clear that this game doesn't define who she is.

It's just something that she's really good at."

Now, just two months after being cleared for basketball activities, donovyn is on the comeback trail.

It's why she practices so intensely every day of the week.

2:30 donovyn says, "it's very important, um, making the training's intense because since i missed out on so much, um, the harder i go, the closer i get to coming back to normal and better than i was before."

Her trainer gerodan is there guiding her to make sure she continues to work intensely-- but also safely.

2:48 geordan edmond says, "i want to train it to the point where she's able to make a move, one that she used to be able to make, and it's no problem for her.

And she's able to take the right step and make the right move."

A high school season still remains in question.

But donovyn will be ready for the ball when the sports world returns from its time out.

5:15 sherman hunter says, "with the anticipation of high school basketball will come.

When?

We don't know.

But her mindset is when it does come.

They don't know what's going to hit them."

So as donovyn does her best to box out the doubts... 4:15 donovyn says, "it's ... less of a worry and more of just simply wake up in the morning, pray, hope for the best and come out and work."

She knows her rebound story will soon be in full