Redshirt sophomore Madi Cook of the women's soccer team has come back from an injury that prevented her from playing for the past two years. The defensive midfielder discussed her journey to recovery, what it's like being a starter, and goals she has for her first full season:
 
Q: You were injured for the majority of your first two years here at Pepperdine. How did you prepare yourself to come back onto the field?
 
A: It definitely took a lot of work. I worked with Bri and TaMesha, our strength and conditioning coach and our athletic trainer. I had a bunch of complications with my injury so they helped me rehab those and get back in shape. It was definitely a process. Even though I was technically cleared to play, it still took a lot of effort to get back into the swing of things and play as well as I could beforehand.
 
Q: You made your debut in the final game of your redshirt freshman season. What was that first collegiate game like for you?
 
A: It was super exciting because I didn't play all of my freshman year because I was injured and then going into sophomore year, I was still basically injured the whole time. I was getting my fitness and touches right the rest of the season when I was cleared to play so being able to go in at the end was so exciting. I think it was the last 12 or 15 minutes of the game, but to be able to go in and play was awesome. It was our last game of the season, so it was definitely emotional to see that all the hard work that I had done had paid off.
 
Q: How did your team and the coaching staff support you while you were injured?
 
A: They were super awesome, especially Bri and TaMesha. I worked with them basically every single day, especially TaMesha since we were rehabbing it. I was always going in there and making sure I did everything I could to come back as soon as I could, but also make sure I was healthy. The coaches were awesome. A lot of the time during practice, we'll have to do bike workouts or different workouts on the side, so they would always come up and encourage me. When I had to do something different, my teammates were always there encouraging me as well. They continually asking and seeing how my recovery was going; everyone was super supportive.
 
Q: Now that you're back on the field, you're playing a pretty important role as a defensive midfielder. What is it like starting a game after coming back from an injury?
 
A: It was crazy and super exciting. Obviously, it's been a lot of hard work; there's a lot of other talented people on the team. It was super rewarding to know that all of the hard work that I put in allowed me to be able to play on the team and hopefully have an impactful role.
 
Q: Since this is your first full season, what are some goals you have for yourself?
 
A: Honestly, that was one of the goals: to make it through a whole season without having a super serious injury because I've dealt with that a lot. Just being able to make an impact wherever I can and help the team however I can; there wasn't anything specific. Everyone wants to score goals and make sure your team does well, but I think just continuously playing throughout a season was my main goal this year.
 
Q: You're a scholar-athlete and received WCC Commissioner's Honor Roll gold honors last year. How do you balance soccer and academics?
 
A: For me, it's learning time management. Putting school and soccer first is really important for me, but also making sure, on top of that, that I'm getting enough sleep, eating healthy, and overall making sure I'm able to balance it without getting sick or injured again. Definitely just prioritizing school work and doing it whenever I have a chance instead of doing something else that's not productive.
 
Q: What have you been looking forward to this season?
 
A: It's kind of weird, because even though I'm a junior, I'm experiencing a lot of things on the team for the first time, like being able to play and start. Definitely being able to travel with the team, because we are able to travel for some games, so hopefully being able to travel with the team and having an impact. I'm super excited about that.
 
Q: What is the best piece of advice or encouragement you've received at Pepperdine?
 
A: My roommate Courtney Merrill, she's also on the soccer team, is always continuously encouraging me. She's also dealt with some injuries, so she's always encouraging me that I'll get through it no matter what. She's also a scholar-athlete and has helped me stay focused and committed to school and soccer.