Shout out to Stevie Spencer, a Citrus College scholar-athlete, who recently participated in a "Women in Sports" panel discussion as part of Women's History Month in March.

During the event, Stevie talked openly about her soccer career and some of the challenges she faced while overcoming a significant knee injury.

Prior to the injury, which occurred on Senior Night at Bonita High School in 2022, Stevie was committed to playing soccer at a four-year college in Southern California. What was supposed to be a night of celebration suddenly changed when – 30 minutes into the match – Stevie tore her ACL and meniscus on a noncontact play.

Not only did the injury prevent her from finishing the match with her teammates, it also kept her out of playing her first season in college. To make matters worse, what was supposed to be a nine-month recovery ended up taking twice as long.

At the "Women in Sports" event, Stevie thanked a member of the Citrus College staff who played a huge role in getting her back on the field – athletic trainer Scott Norman. "I don't think I would've been able to come back to soccer if it wasn't for him," Stevie said.

After Stevie's former college cut their athletic programs in 2023, she transferred to Citrus College. It was the first school that came to mind, she said, as she knew the head coach, Tim Tracey, from when she was in high school.

"Right off the bat, he wanted me to join his team as he believed I would get the help I needed with the athletic trainers present at Citrus College," she said.

After working on rehabilitation stretches and exercises for several weeks, Stevie was back on the field. "I am so blessed that I was able to have Scott by my side to help and guide me through this journey of recovery," Stevie said.

Scott, who has worked with athletes for nearly three decades, praised Stevie for never giving up and overcoming the obstacles in front of her. "It was all her hard work and effort that got her back on the field," he said.

Since her return, Stevie has excelled. In addition to playing in 39 games over two seasons, she earned first-team all-conference honors and was recognized as a Scholar Baller for her achievements in the classroom.

In the fall, Stevie will continue her academic and athletic career at Life Pacific University in San Dimas.

Thank you for making Citrus College part of your journey, Stevie. We know you have a bright future ahead of you!