COVID hits USD athlete hard

Coping with being sick and pausing one’s career as an elite athlete

KYLIE PRIES /CONTRIBUTOR / THE USD VISTA

As a member of the University of San Diego’s nationally ranked volleyball team, the opportunities seemed endless for senior Lauren Turner in the spring of 2020. She had a great season in 2019 as the Toreros finished 25-6 and the future seemed bright as USD Volleyball continued to excel.

However,  an unexpected Coronavirus diagnosis her junior year quickly changed the course of her athletic career. What seemed to be typical asthma symptoms ended up being more serious than she ever expected. Turner had no idea at the time that she would never be able to play volleyball again. 

Following a ten day quarantine, Turner visited her doctor to get clearance to return to practice, but instead they noticed an abnormal heart rhythm.

“At that point the doctor said I was breathing at the level of an eighty year old,” Turner explained.

For the next seven months, Turner began developing symptoms such as immense chest pains, dizzy spells, fainting, and shortness of breath. Even the most simple tasks such as standing up could cause her to pass out. 

After many visits to the doctor, a number of EKG’s, X-rays, and a heart monitor, no one was able to figure out what was wrong with Turner until one final test. During the test, Turner was strapped down to a table for nearly three hours and tilted in many different angles to see how her blood pressure and heart rate responded. 

Her doctors were able to see that Turner’s blood pressure was abnormal, leading to her diagnosis with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, also known as POTS. 

POTS is a condition that stems from a viral illness and affects blood flow throughout the body. This disease causes symptoms such as lightheadedness, chest pain, fainting, and rapid heartbeat, all of which Turner developed. Her symptoms were severe enough to make it unsafe for her to participate in activity, so Turner’s doctors had to break the news that she would not be able to finish her college volleyball career. 

Turner discussed the extreme disappointment she felt following her diagnosis.

“The hardest part about everything was letting myself down and letting my team down. As athletes we have such individual goals where we see our careers going, and deep down I had some hope that I would return, so it was very difficult to not end my college career the way I thought I would,” Turner said.

When entering her first year at USD, Turner decided to take a redshirt year so that she could have a better opportunity to play later on. As a redshirt, an athlete opts out of playing in a season to develop their skill and is offered an extra year of eligibility. Many first-year athletes choose this option to give themselves a better chance of playing in their last years of college. 

Little did she know that after her redshirt year, Turner would only participate in one real season as a collegiate volleyball player. When COVID hit, sports were put on pause at USD and across the country, meaning that Turner couldn’t participate in her junior season. Shortly after, her illness began. 

POTS has added many new perspectives to Turner’s life, but one thing that stayed consistent is her faith in God. She continues to go to church and to trust in God’s plan for her life. Turner’s faith has now become her identity after losing what she thought was her whole life. 

“When everything seemed against me, God was the only thing that kept my head above water,” Turner said. 

After her diagnosis, Turner continued to be a part of the USD volleyball team, although not as a player. She began managing travel trips, took stats at every single game, and became a helping hand for the team’s recruiting committee. 

Head coach Jennifer Petrie emphasized to Turner that although she was always welcome, she did not have to be a part of the team. However, Turner still chose to be at every practice, every game, and every team event.

The shift from being an athlete to being a supporter was a challenging one for Turner. 

“Mentally, I had to shift my mindset from a player to someone that just helped the team. There was no place I would rather be, but that didn’t make it any easier,” Turner said.

Turner still had the opportunity to be celebrated on the team’s senior night, where she received the Torero award. This is a seasonal award given to an athlete who the coaches and players think embodies what it means to be a Torero on and off the court. To be a Torero is to show immense compassion, strength and commitment. 

One of Turner’s teammates, junior Leyla Blackwell explained that the decision seemed obvious to the team. 

“When we had to vote for end of the year awards, it was a no brainer to vote Lauren for the Torero award. She has given so much to this program and her selflessness was inspiring to us all,” Blackwell said.

Although POTS initially took a toll on Turner’s mental health, she ultimately grew her relationship with her friends, family and coaches. Her parents were by her side through every step of the way and the support from the people she loves is what helped her get through it. 

For Turner, the best thing that came out of her experience was appreciation and reassurance from places she couldn’t imagine. She was recently  a part of a short documentary directed by USD volleyball grad assistant Katie Oleksak, which highlighted the stories of some POTS patients. In the film, Turner shared her struggle with the diagnosis and became a resource for a community of people that also have the disease. 

Turner is working to find different passions outside of volleyball as she begins to figure out her plans after graduation. She is currently volunteering at PATH, a non profit organization that helps homeless people find permanent housing in San Diego. 

With the position, she is able to connect families and individuals to more sustainable living conditions. 

Turner expressed her desire to continue being an outreach advocate and improve the common good of society.

“I’ve always had a passion for helping others and the way people have shown their love for me has prompted me to also show that same love back,” Turner explained.

Turner is currently finishing her last semester at USD and continues to look for treatment. Although there is not a cure yet, Turner is learning to adapt to her new circumstances and find efficient ways to treat her body. 

While her experience as an elite athlete may be over, Turner’s community of friends and teammates on the USD Volleyball team will be a supportive body for the rest of her life.