Catie's soccer setback turns into basketball comeback

By Jess Cunningham

Sometimes just making it to the starting line is victory in itself.

That was the case for Catie Hodge who discovered even a broken wrist couldn’t dampen her spirits in the lead-up to the 2023 UniSport Nationals.

The injury occurred while representing Bond in soccer back in July when the Bachelor of Arts (majoring in Advertising and Production) student found herself in the sporting equivalent of ‘no man’s land’, wedged between a goal post and the goalie.

The result was a fractured right wrist and a race against time to be ready for the uni games.

“Most of all I was extremely frustrated,” Hodge said.

“Obviously I was in a whole lot of pain, but I was annoyed knowing my season would be cut short.”

Hodge was left in a cast for four weeks, just two months out from the UniSport Nationals she’d been anticipating all year.

While Bond couldn’t gather the numbers for a UniSport Nationals soccer team, Hodge was eager to get on court in her secondary sport of basketball.

After carrying Bond through a successful 2022 basketball campaign, the thought of being sidelined motivated her to make a swift recovery.

“Being unable to train was probably the most annoying part,” Hodge said.

“I wasn’t able to practise very much shooting in the lead-up, but as soon as I got my cast off I was straight back out there to get in form for the nationals.”

After the medic gave her the thumbs-up to play, Hodge went on to make the most out of her UniSport Nationals experience.

Although the squad found wins hard to come by, there were plenty of other rewards for the players.

“It’s always such a great time at the Uni Nationals,” Hodge said.

“The opportunity to meet people from all across the country and come together through a mutual love of sport is definitely something pretty special.”