Groenewegen doesn't let diabetes throw her a curve

[SoCal_Dad]

Good article on it - Gophers' Sara Groenewegen doesn't let Type 1 diabetes throw her a curve

Excerpt about how she handled it while being recruited...

Growing up in White Rock, British Columbia, Groenewegen was a big deal on the softball scene, helping her White Rock Renegades club team win three national and provincial championships.

As a member of the Canadian national team, she was highly recruited by top American college softball programs but kept her diabetes a secret.

"My dad and I were talking when I was getting recruited, and he said, 'If you have it or don't have it, it's not going to make you a different player,' " Groenewegen said. "So I kind of just made the decision not to tell anyone until I came onto campus."

That didn't bother Allister once she learned about her prize recruit's medical condition.

"It's not a big deal," Minnesota's fifth-year coach said. "She stays on top of it. It's never an excuse. It's never a distraction. I don't even most of the time realize she has it. It's something she deals with, and it's part of her life.

 

[undergroundga]

Great article! My dd is a type 1 diabetic. The first year had it's ups and downs but sugar has settled down and if you didn't know you wouldn't be able to tell.

 

[guero_gordo]

Appreciate the post. Sent it to our friends who are in their second year of dealing with the disease while playing softball.

 

[chinamigarden]

My dd was diagnosed type 1 mid 9th grade, she is a senior this year. The first year was a huge adjustment, first for the whole management of the diabetes and then learning how to use the pump. Her diabetes has had a huge impact on who she is and what she wants to do, she is going to college to study engineering with the goal to be a biomedical engineer.

Sports and exercise are very important to a kid with type 1, the exercise helps to regulate the sugar levels, its good to see someone on the national level talking about it. It can only encourage younger athletes with Type 1 to keep playing.

I'm no expert but if any parents want answers or just someone to share ideas and experiences about sports and Type 1 feel free to private message me.