19 year old netball player Casey Reynolds has been playing the sport for as long as she can remember, the former NSW representative has also suffered her fair share of injuries but none of them could be as poorly timed as her fractured finger that she suffered shortly after her annual netball season resumed following COVID-19 restrictions.

The injury came after she miscalculated the trajectory and the speed of an oncoming pass resulting in what she described as “a loud crack followed by some pain”. Throughout her playing career, Casey has suffered sprained ankles, Plantar Fasciitis and even other fractured fingers before so this was something she was familiar with however no past injury experiences could prepare her for the news that she would be sidelined for up to 4 months with surgery potentially being a necessity. 

X-Rays indicated a fracture and her ring finger was confined to a firm metallic splint before a specialist noticed there was no real signs of improvement and later replaced this rigid splint with one that allowed more movement in her finger in the hopes of this presenting more promising signs of recovery without surgery having to be an option.

Her coach Alex Seymour said that the injury could not have come at a worse time and stressed the fact that Casey was one of the leaders of the team. “She might be young but she carries herself and leads the team like a veteran who’s been doing this for years.”. 

Casey has played for teams all over the state and has even represented NSW in national tournaments in 2013 so she is still able to assist her teammates with advice from a sideline view but still misses and even envies her teammates saying that she watches them in awe from the sideline during games. 

For players who have been playing the sport for so long, instances such as these can have long lasting effects on their mental health and even perception of the game. The abrupt moments in which their time out playing is brought to a screeching halt and they are restricted to the sideline but Casey promised that it did not put a damper on her love for the game and if anything only furthered her intensity and eagerness to get out and playing the sport she fell in live with at such a young age.

Her finger has now fully recovered and has now returned to playing again.

Casey Reynolds has been playing netball for as long as she can remember, the former NSW rep has suffered her share of injuries but none could be as poorly timed as her fractured finger that she suffered shortly after netball season resumed after COVID-19 restrictions. #JRNL102

— 𝗷𝗼𝗷𝗼 𝗷𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗯𝗼𝘅 🧃 (@JojoSahyoun) November 14, 2020

"seeming ridiculous when I think this was all for a finger" an insight on Casey's thoughts after what she thought was a small finger fracture was revealed to have major implications on her netball career #JRNL102

— 𝗷𝗼𝗷𝗼 𝗷𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗯𝗼𝘅 🧃 (@JojoSahyoun) November 14, 2020

I spoke with Casey Reynolds, a netball player who suffered a fractured finger following a miscalculated catch resulting in an injury that saw her netball playing career come to a screeching halt just as her playing schedule was returning to normal. #JRNL102

— 𝗷𝗼𝗷𝗼 𝗷𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗯𝗼𝘅 🧃 (@JojoSahyoun) November 14, 2020

When speaking to Casey about her injury the long-term effects of the injury seemed wild. A simple miscalculation of a catch has potentially resulted in her developing early arthritis which may ultimately shorten her playing career. #JRNL102

— 𝗷𝗼𝗷𝗼 𝗷𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗯𝗼𝘅 🧃 (@JojoSahyoun) November 14, 2020

Despite the major setbacks, Casey has now recovered from her fractured ring finger and is eager as ever to return to the court and begin playing netball on a consistent basis once again. #JRNL102

— 𝗷𝗼𝗷𝗼 𝗷𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗯𝗼𝘅 🧃 (@JojoSahyoun) November 14, 2020