It's been a hazy seven months for Sarah Gomes.
The graduate of Duchess Park secondary school benched her athletic and academic career at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops after suffering a concussion in an exhibition soccer game last autumn.
"One of the girls [from the University of Fraser Valley in Abbotsford] slide-tackled me, taking out my legs and I went head over heals hitting my head on the ground," said Gomes. "Right from the get-go something wasn't right. The headaches started right away and I got diagnosed."
Despite missing her entire sophomore season - since the injury happened in an exhibition game the standout rookie defender from 2010-11 didn't lose a year of college eligibility at the PACWEST school - Gomes was honoured Saturday night at the ninth induction ceremony for the Prince George Sports Hall of Fame as an outstanding youth athlete.
Gomes said she's determined not to make the same mistake NHL hockey player Sidney Crosby made in returning from her head injury too soon.
"I haven't played soccer since that day - Sept. 3," said the TRU WolfPack defender. "At the beginning, the headaches were persistent and difficult to tolerate. It was hard to focus in school and the words on the projector were kind of blurry.
"Also, my speech was a bit messed up," added the 19-year-old. "I'd have some difficulties talking and with memory as well. I'd be having a conversation with somebody, say two words, and I'd have to stop and say, 'What were we talking about?'"
Not wanting to see her grade-point average slip due to her lack of concentration, Gomes decided to drop her semester and returned to Prince George to recuperate. She returned to TRU in January but is starting slow by taking two classes while working with an occupational therapist and a physiotherapist.
"I don't want to have to be like Sidney Crosby, where he goes back too soon and it reoccurs and he's going to be out for longer," said Gomes, referring to the Pittsburgh Penguins' player's brief comeback in November after being off since the first week of January 2011. "I took the precautions early enough so that, hopefully, I can get back on my feet faster.
"It's better but I'm still not 100 per cent," she said about the effects of her first concussion. " I know how I feel. They do say it takes about a year to be fully at your normal self.
"Every day I do a little bit more, a little progression - a little bit on the bike and then do some upper body strengthening," said Gomes. "Two weeks ago I was able to do short runs. I'm already at that stage where you can see the progression. It's just little baby steps to increase my tolerance a little bit and a little bit more."
Gomes said she wants to prepare herself for the Wolfpack training camp in August so she can help her soccer teammates defend their PACWEST championship on the field instead of having to cheer for them from afar.
"I was a little bit jealous," said Gomes, who was named as a first-team all-star in her rookie season in the former B.C. Colleges Athletic Association. "Every time I see a soccer ball I'm so tempted and teased."
Elite class
Gomes said she was surprised the Prince George Sports Hall of Fame recognized her achievements and dedication for soccer to honour her as a top youth athlete, but she was thrilled to share the spotlight with fellow DPSS graduate, and TRU volleyball player, Colin Carson and DPSS Grade 12 student, and biathlete, Sarah Beaudry.
"I've always interacted with them. Me and Colin, we carpooled down to TRU together," said Gomes. "I'm glad we can represent Duchess Park together."
Other youth athletes recognized in 2012 were: diver Ashley Anderson, track and field/cross-country runner Emma Balazs, hockey player Brett Bulmer, taekwon-do's Brian Clyne, UBC Thunderbirds running back Brandon Deschamps, swimmer Danica Ludlow, volleyball player Erika Morris, motocross bike rider Jesse Pettis, and five-pin bowler Jeff Strong.
Bulmer recently ended his WHL season when the Kelowna Rockets were swept from the playoffs by the Portland Winterhawks and missed Saturday's dinner, as the Minnesota Wild's prospect was on his way to join the AHL's Houston Aeros to try and help them earn a playoff position.
Ludlow was in Montreal at the 2012 Canadian Swimming Olympic Trials, while Deschamps, Pettis and Strong were also absent.
Diving in
Anderson, 16, said she was in awe of being included among former youth inductees like Brett Connolly (hockey), Matt Neumann (biathlon), Dennis Stark and Mercedes Van Koughnett (basketball), all of whom were a part of the last group of youth recognized in 2008-09. For athletes inducted in other years see www.pgsportshalloffame.org.
"It's definitely a great privilege and an honour to be included in that classification of athletes," said Anderson. "Just to look at the different people who are in the hall of fame it's really cool."
The 16-year-old has had a rough diving season after government funding was cut for her coach Qaing Fu, who returned to China at the start of the diving season.
"We had been training for nationals and, maybe onto the Olympics after that, but I don't know now," said Anderson.
The double-medalist at the 2010 B.C. Summer Games - gold in the three-metre springboard and silver on the one-metre board - said leaving Prince George to train isn't an option because she's also deeply involved in the sciences at Westside Academy and recently attended the Taiwan International Science Fair, placing third in the environmental category.
"I had been offered to go and stay in Vancouver or Victoria and train at the clubs down there, but my school and other things I have here, I just decided to stay," said Anderson. "I'm not sure what will happen now, maybe in university I'll look into some diving."
There are diving coaches in Prince George but Anderson is overqualified for their level of teaching. For now Anderson will have to concentrate on winning science fairs and playing soccer.
"Soccer is more of a fun thing for me," she said. "Diving is my hardcore sport."
