FIRE LOOKING FOR A DATE WITH DESTINY
INJURIES CAN’T SLOW DOWN SUPER SUZY
WNBL SEMI- FINALS PREVIEW
TOWNSVILLE Fire captain Suzy Batkovic has continued to be a dominant pointscoring machine despite revealing she has played with four stress fractures in her back for some time.
In a testament to her toughness and competitiveness, the 37- year- old ( pictured) has been told it is likely she suffered two of those stress fractures at some point last season.
But it didn’t stop her from winning a record fifth WNBL Most Valuable Player award, and she is well in the hunt for another this season.
She will again be key for the Fire as they start their semi- final series against the Sydney Uni Flames tonight.
TOWNSVILLE Fire captain Suzy Batkovic has continued to be a dominant pointscoring machine despite revealing she has been playing with four stress fractures in her back.
In a testament to her toughness and competitiveness, the 37- year- old has been told it is likely she suffered two of those stress fractures at some point last season.
But it didn’t stop her from winning a record fifth WNBL Most Valuable Player award, and she is well in the hunt for another this season.
Batkovic has been managing the pain since her back first flared up at the 2012 Olympics in London.
“I came home and no one could find what was wrong,” she said. “We did a test with liquid dye and they ( fractures) lit up like a Christmas tree.
“Last season I had some issues again, so I went from two stress fractures to four. The doctors weren’t sure when the two new ones had popped up, but they think somewhere within the 12 months of last season.
“I’ve got four little Christmas trees, little spikes on the scan. They’re just maintained as best I can and I do a pretty good job of reading my body, knowing when to push and when to pull back.”
Incredibly it hasn’t stopped Batkovic from averaging over 20 points and 10 rebounds a game this season.
“You just play in the moment and ignore whatever’s hurting,” she said.
“I’m so competitive that whatever is hurting is put to the side as best as I can. I look at that scoreboard and make sure it’s ticking over on the right side.
“When I was playing with Adelaide ( 2012- 13) I had to get a sub on because it seized up. I couldn’t go on the road, couldn’t walk for four days and was in excruciating pain.
“That was extremely painful and whatever I feel now, I don’t feel like it’s as bad as when it first started.
“Whether your body adapts and you get used to that level of pain ( I don’t know).
“Some days I feel really young and others are a grind, it’s just management with me.”
Much like a cyborg, a quick grease and oil change is all Batkovic needs to ensure she makes it on court each week.
“I have a lot more maintenance these days and feel like I do a pretty good job of that. It’s part of the reason I’m still able to play at the age I’m playing at,” Batkovic said.
“I jump in the pool a lot and that makes me feel like I’m in my twenties again. An hour after I jump out it doesn’t feel like it, but I think it definitely helps to keeps my hamstrings and glutes really loose because they overload and overwork to try and protect my back.
“Our physio Cat ( Lanksy) does a great job of keeping me on court and she’s been with us long enough now to know what to attack on my body to ease the trouble I have in my back. A key is core strength and a spinal specialist said it’s just management, you need to know when to go and when to pull back.”
It seems certain Townsville’s WNBL finals campaign, which begins at home against Sydney tonight, won’t be her last.
She is feeling healthy enough, and definitely playing well enough, to surge into a 17th WNBL season.
“I’m not ready to let go of the game just yet,” Batkovic said. “I still feel like I’m playing good ball.
“Coming into a finals series is what you play for. For now I’m just focusing on that.”