A form of energy and love for the sport emerges whenever Kait Nichols steps onto the basketball court. Since the age of six, Nichols knew there was no other sport that she could love more. It took every practice, house league game, rep game, and commitment to bring her to where she is today. When Nichols was deciding where to go to university, the program at TMU was enticing and perfect for her. Starting with the Bold last season was a success; she shined on the court and grew close with the team. Expecting to finish a full season, Nichols never saw the injury coming, and that's where her road to recovery began, on day zero.

Nichols spent four years in the Ontario Scholastic Basketball Assocation (OSBA) attending Lincoln Prep. It was a great opportunity for her to grow as a basketball player in her skills and work ethic. Not only did those years train her well for her position at TMU now, but she was introduced to current teammates, Jayme Foreman and Kaillie Hall. At the end of the day, selecting TMU was a no-brainer. 

"I was looking forward to university and the coaching staff, the environment, the culture, the team, and it's the best decision I made, I'm happy I'm here," said Nichols. 

Along with her position on the team, Nichols has devoted her schooling to the child and youth care program. "I would love to work as an Education Assistant (EA), being one-on-one with kids," added Nichols. Working with kids is a passion that's always brought her joy, as she has previously worked with children at summer camps. 

It seemed like everything was on track for Nichols, getting to play her favourite sport with her new teammates and coaches, and being in a program that she loves, nothing could have prepared her, let alone anyone, for her fall in December 2022.

During the first few seconds of a scrimmage, Nichols could see former player Rachel Farwell standing to take the tip-off. In a matter of seconds, Nichols felt her leg shift, followed by a pop and she was on the ground. "I've never felt that type of pain before and it was probably the worst thing that's ever happened to me," she said.

"Basketball is my everything, and it's been hard the last almost a year of just not playing," Nichols added.

Seeing the team doctor, Nichols tried not to expect the worst, hoping maybe this was something she could come back from quickly, but it was confirmed - she had torn her ACL.

Nichols worked closely with the athletic therapists at TMU to prepare for her surgery on April 26, 2023. After an intense surgery, a lot of muscle mass can be lost, so the first step was all about strengthening her leg. 

When Nichols went in for surgery, the nerves had settled in. "I just remember waking up and I was so startled, I couldn't move my leg. I'm in a brace and I know it happened and the recovery starts now," Nichols recalls. Today was day zero, and it was only up from here.

Nichols went back home to her family in Hamilton, Ont. for two weeks, and it was the first step of her recovery. Her big brother, one of her best friends, was a great help. Once she was home he carried her up the stairs while her mom was always by her side, taking time off of work to support Nichols.

"She was there every single day doing the little things like making me food and helping me get into bed, she was my biggest supporter," Nichols said. 

For her, family and friends meant everything to her during this immensely difficult time. Nichols came to TMU excited to meet new people, and she was greeted with open arms by her teammates. The women's basketball team has grown very close, and for them, it's as simple as hanging out at one of their apartments, ordering food, and watching some shows.

"I think it's huge to have a close connection with all your teammates off the court and then it translates as well on the court."

Her relationship with her coach Carly Clarke is also significant in the recovery process.

"She's a great coach and a great person, she cares so much for us as athletes and as females off the court and it's incredible," Nichols said. Having a great coaching staff was necessary for Nichols' recovery.

Her first summer after the surgery, she was grinding every day toward her rehab. She was always in the gym working hard to get stronger, and ultimately her goal was to be back on the court. An injury this extensive affected her mental health, and for her, this was one of the hardest things mentally that she's been through in her life.

Nichols leaned on her supporters and expressed how grateful she was for them. Ultimately, basketball was her motivation. "I'm also just thinking of basketball and how it's what I've always wanted to do and I'm not going to let this kind of injury stop me from continuing to play."

Each day is another step on her road to recovery, and the athletic therapists have been a huge part of that. In the summer she spent a lot of time working with therapist Jerome Camacho, who helped guide her through treatment especially when things became very emotional and painful.

Since the 2023-24 season began, Nichols is about seven months post-op from her surgery. She still has quite a bit to go before she can fully regain strength and play basketball once again.

"The injury I went through and the impact it had on me and my body, it's not something to flip around or be back in the next five months," Nichols commented. This will be a process for her, and she is taking every opportunity to get better. 

One way of getting through each day is by focusing on the little accomplishments she's made. During practices with the team, she's been able to start jogging, short sprints, dribbling, and jumping again. Each of these short exercises helps bring her closer to being on the court again.

The second-year guard has many more seasons ahead of her and is hoping to get cleared in the new year.

"As much as I would love to play, I don't want to rush anything so I'm going to just prepare for next season," Nichols said.

As easy as it is to talk about recovering, going through it is more difficult than it presents itself. Along with focusing on school, physical health, and basketball, it's important to find the small moments of joy. Joy for Nichols comes in different forms, like watching one of her favourite shows Peaky Blinders, or spending time with her teammates and close friends. 
 
One of the greatest moments for her is still being on the bench during games.

"I still feel very connected to the team and I feel like I have a different perspective from not playing, you just see things differently," Nichols expressed. The team has done a wonderful job at making Nichols feel like she's still part of the conversation, and like nothing changed. 

"I'm just so excited to get back with them next year and they keep me going and motivate me to just keep being better every day."

With all the support she has received, she knows that as hard as this process has been, she isn't alone. Nichols has been on an uphill battle since the day she was injured, but with her positive attitude, and her drive to get better, she'll be back on the court soon enough.