Bill Wetzel

Arizona Wildcat women's basketball player Katrina Lindner says that time management and balancing everything in life is the most difficult part about being a student-athlete.

Meanwhile, I am trying to figure out a cool nickname to give the fiery redshirt freshman guard who hails from Adelaide, Australia.

"The Thunder From Down Under," I state. Nope, too cliche. Plus, she's shaking her head in disapproval.

"How about The Crocodile Huntress?" I ask.

OK, now I'm not even trying anymore. At least this one elicits a dimpled smile from her before she decides to tell me what her teammates usually call her.

"Aussie."

She says it like "Ozzy," so I'm picturing frightening images of sweet, little, blonde girls in Australia biting the heads off of various flying mammals until she spells it out for me.

"A-u-s-s-i-e."

Right. I get it now. Rock on, girl.

The anterior cruciate ligament is the ligament in your knee that connects the tibia to the femur. Located in the center of the knee, the ACL is what prevents your leg from moving forward in relation to the thigh. Tearing the ACL is a detrimental injury for anyone. For an athlete it can be career-ending.

Imagine trying to live life walking around with one foot in a rollerskate, while your knee slips and slides around in the joint. Then imagine trying to compete in a sport that requires you to put all the wrong kinds of stress on that joint.

Now consider that Katrina Lindner is two weeks removed from her second major ACL reconstruction surgery in the last year and a half.

One in each knee.

Six months rehab. Electric stimulation. Riding the bike. Intense weight training. All on top of the hectic academic load UA students constantly stress themselves over.

The fact that she never once complains or expresses any doubt in her ability to persevere amazes me. She exudes passion when talking about basketball ÷ the camaraderie of her teammates. The mental and physical stress of overcoming another knee injury is simply an afterthought to her.

When asked, she answers that her determination and "never quit attitude" are what have enabled her to get this far in her career. After all, she is a member of a nationally ranked team that is on the cusp of wrecking shop in the NCAA tournament.

Underneath her statement in my notes, I jot one more observation down.

"No shit."

Katrina says she considers herself a leader and her goals in basketball are simply to win championships.

Meanwhile, I'm antagonizing her about individual goals and the possibility of representing Australia in the Olympics some day.

"I'm going to write that you're arrogant and you said that you are going to bang one down on Lisa Leslie at the Olympics when your knee heals."

"Oh no, don't do that," she smiles again, before carefully telling me she might try out for the Olympics, providing she's healthy and gets the chance.

For now, I get the impression she has some business to take care of with her Wildcat teammates ÷ that individual accolades mean nothing compared to her team.

Being a student-athlete is definitely not an easy life. In the preseason, these young women are in the gym by 6 a.m., doing conditioning and lifting weights, preparing for a difficult season that spans most of the academic school year. During the season, they practice nearly every day, putting in chaotic 16-hour days of classes, homework and athletic obligations. Katrina's insight into road trips sheds some light on the added burden of athletics.

"We leave on Wednesday afternoon and get home early Sunday."

"At one or two in the morning."

While on the road they have mandatory practices, team meetings, study times and, sometimes, the girls get together for optional Bible study sessions.

They play games somewhere in there, too.

Of course, all Wildcat athletes endure the same balancing act. Hopefully we all can respect that their high profiles aren't all fun and games. They study and work as hard as everyone else, plus compete at a big-time Division I level.

As for Katrina Lindner? The last thing I told her was "good luck and kick some ass."

She simply replied, "Oh yeah."

Right. They get it now, Katrina.

Rock on, girl.

Bill Wetzel is a creative writing and political science junior. He can be reached at letters@wildcat.arizona.edu.