The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

KENDALIA Turner is in great spirits, having completed a successful surgery on Sunday morning to repair her broken right ankle in an injury she sustained during the New Providence Softball Association Ladies’ All-Star game in the Banker’s Field Saturday night.

The Johnson Lady Truckers’ shortstop was trying to score from third in the bottom of the first inning when she avoided a tag and slid home for the President’s second game. But the starting shortstop didn’t anticipate the injury. “I went on a surgery to put my ankle back in place and then they put in a few screws to keep my tibia intact,” Turner said. “I’m in a soft cast now and I have to stay off it completely for six weeks. At some point, they have to put it in a cast.

“After six weeks, the therapy will start and then we will go from there.”

With this being the first major injury that she experienced, Turner said she didn’t know what to do as she watched her ankle being dislocated. She noted that it was a “wow” moment that left her without any words to say.

“Of course, I want every opportunity to play softball, but I’m not depressed or devastated,” she admitted. “Mentally, I’m in a good place and I’m happy for that because it’s hard for athletes to get over their injuries.”

Having graduated from Georgian Court University in Lakewood, New Jersey in 2020 as one of their top softball players and with a major degree in business administration and a minor in accounting, Turner said she’s taking it all in stride.

“I’m upset, yes, but I’m not mad at the world. Softball did a lot for me. I was able to accomplish a lot. I’m talking like this is the end, but I had two team-mates in college who broke their legs and they had a tough time dealing with it.”

The good thing for Turner is the fact that she’s only 23 years old. So she feels that her youthfulness will enable her to be able to bounce back and continue playing the sport she loves next season, once she does the right things to recuperate.

“I don’t want it to linger on or to have it as something that I will regret for the rest of my life,” she said. “So I want to make sure that I do the right things to ensure that I get back. I’m not trying to rush anything.”

Not only does she contemplate returning to the sport, but when she’s not wearing her cleats, Turner said she would like to be able to put on her heels and continue her career off the field. She was recently promoted at Cable Bahamas in the Loyalty Department, which is responsible for ensuring that they assist their clients with any issues they might experience in a bid to keep them with the company. “We call it winning souls,” said Turner, who gets to carry out her duties at her home on St Vincent Road as she recuperates from her injury.

This was the first full season that Turner has played in the NPSA, although she’s played for the past few years while she was in college. She came home whenever the opportunity presented itself for her to participate.

“I am upset that I can’t play, but I’m not going to lock myself up in a room and cry,” she said.

The only problem is that she won’t be able to enjoy the season with her younger sister Mia Turner, a versatile player who also plays for the Lady Truckers.

In the All-Star game, however, Mia Turner was playing on the Vice President’s team on the opposite side of the field and when Kendalia Turner went down with the injury at the plate, she was one of the first persons to rush to her aid.