“I had surgery, and the doctor said I would be out for nine months,” Milot Pokuaa says. “But it couldn’t happen that way. I stayed home for almost two years.
“It wasted my time,” she adds, in a tone of frustration.
The prognosis had been clear: nine months. A difficult but manageable setback. Enough time to heal. Enough time to return.
But healing is not always obedient to medical timelines.
What was meant to be a season lost became two. What was expected to be rehabilitation became isolation. While her peers trained, competed and improved, Milot remained on the sidelines: battling pain, doubt and the slow psychological weight of inactivity.
As a youngster, the pitch was her ground.
Between playing for Ghana’s Black Maidens at the 2018 U17 Women’s World Cup and the 2020/21 women’s football season, Milot was perhaps one of the top three forwards in the country.
Despite Ghana’s quarterfinal exit at the World Cup, she left that tournament knowing that she had left a positive impression on the minds of many Ghanaians.
However, it was her performance in the Women’s Premier League two years later that convinced many and earned her praise as she starred for Hasaacas Ladies.
The Hasmal Ladies had a fearsome front three in the Southern Zone of the league and blew everyone apart en route to reaching the final. Milot on the left, Veronica Appiah through the middle and Doris Boaduwaa on the right was an attacking trio many feared to face.
The three players combined for 26 goals; Milot scored nine, the same as Veronica, while Doris chipped in with eight in that season.
Hasaacas made light work of Ampem Darkoa Ladies in the final, scoring four goals without conceding, a game in which Milot contributed with a goal and an assist.
She had hit her prime, and with the introduction of the CAF Women’s Champions League that season, Hasaacas were headed for the zonal qualifiers. Having eased their way into the final, Milot was taken off midway through the game against River Angels due to an injury.
“We went to play in the WAFU B Women’s Champions League Qualifiers, and playing against River Angels in the final, I got this terrible injury, and I was sent off the pitch,” she said.
In the end, Hasaacas qualified for the maiden edition of the Champions League carried Milot along to Egypt, not to play, but to psyche her for the mental battle ahead.
“They tried everything to make me happy because being home alone was something that didn’t help my recovery, so they took me along and ensured I was happy and felt loved,” she smiled as she spoke about the initiative.
“I was happy to see them play, though not playing was a worry, but I needed to cheer them up as they went all the way to the final.”
Back to Ghana after the trip in North Africa was where all of the miseries began for Milot.
“It was an anterior cruciate ligament injury, and when I went to see the doctor, he told me I needed to undergo surgery that would keep me out for nine months. That happened, but the recovery didn’t go to plan, and I was out for almost two years, then I had to go and perform a second surgery.
While the surgeries were only the smallest of her concerns, Milot’s bigger mental battle was dealing with the loss of her two most important people in her life.
“I lost my mum just weeks after undergoing my first surgery,” an almost teary Milot said as the conversation continued. “That felt painful because it affected my recovery; I was going through a lot of pain.
“After losing my mom, I lost my stepdad four months later, and it felt like my world was gone. It was a terrible situation, but I am a tough girl, so I had to endure.”
In all of this, she had a shoulder to lean on in Hasaacas President Nana Banyin Eyison.
“I don’t know how to thank the club (Hasaacas Ladies), I wouldn’t know how to say ‘thank you’ because they never left me while I went down, especially Uncle NAB, he did everything for me,” she mentioned with tears dropping from her eyes.
“They never left my side, and I will always be grateful to them. On my teammates, I wouldn’t want to mention names, but they were very good to me in one way or another.
“Some went as far as paying for my rent
Fast forward four years after the injury, Milot saw improvements in her knee and was given the green light to play again.
But for her, that even gave her a bigger nightmare.
“Yes, I was scared [that there would be a recurrence of the injury],” she admitted. “I had not suffered this injury in the past, so I had doubts over whether my knee is at its best or not.
“I always played with my mum around when she was alive but getting to the field and not seeing her again was something that also worries me.”
According to her, even the technical team is doing all possible to get her back in her mojo again.
“There’s a new technical team compared to the ones that were here before, but even they are doing their very best to get me to my level again. They are doing very well, and I appreciate it.”
Now playing in her first full season since the comeback from the devastating injury, Milot is determined to get back to who she was before the setback.
“I hope to help this team so we can win the league again and get back to the zonal qualifiers for the Champions League, but I am not in a rush,” she was quick to add.
“For four years that I was out, I am now playing a full season, and I am still chasing my rhythm. I know the games will eventually add up and I will get back to where I belong.”
For all of her Champions League ambition, the rationale is that she has “unfinished business.”
“I do think I have an unfinished business at the continental level because I couldn’t play in the main tournament because of the incident that happened,” she said with confidence beaming all over.
“We need to win the league first, win the WAFU B qualifiers, and things will fall in place again.
For Milot, “giving up is not an option” as she sent a message across to young girls out there.
“I am a very strong girl, and looking at all I have been through, I have never given up. Stand firm and fight for your own good because no one will take your battle.”
After 13 weeks in the Women’s Premier League season, Milot’s hopes are gradually shaping up as Hasaacas currently sit top of the table in the Southern Zone while also making the semi-finals of the FA Cup.
She has just one goal to her name, but she will be hoping that there is more in her scoring boots for the remainder of the season.
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Source: www.myjoyonline.com