Footballer Ifeoma Dieke - from Cumbernauld to International stardom & beating serious knee injury

Our guest this episode is pro-football superstar Ifeoma Dieke who has been capped 123 times for Scotland.  Iffy's is a remarkable journey - from playing as a schoolgirl on the pitches of Cumbernauld to taking a scholarship place in Miami and becoming the first black woman to captain Scotland. Then in 2012 she was named as a member of Team GB's Olympic squad. Unfortunately disaster struck in the second game leaving her with serious knee injury which ruptured her ACL and left her with meniscus damaged 'beyond repair'.  But that is far from the end of her story and we don't think we've ever had a guest on with a more positive attitude to recovery and the future - which began back then with a post Olympic lap of the UK while the swelling on her knee went down!

Chatting to Iffy in Miami, where she is now based as a coach, you get a sense of the drive and talent that has taken her to many highs in her sport and helped her not only survive the lows - but actually turn them to her advantage. 

She has excellent tips and advice for anyone listening who is battling their own bad knee injury.  She explains how she managed to come back stronger after her reconstruction surgery - playing on at an even higher level until she was 37, and offers listeners sound tips about tailoring your training after injury.

We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we enjoyed recording it and get some great takeaways from Iffy's recovery journey. However next time Surgical Goals chat to Iffy we hope to make it a live one under those blue Miami skies!

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Chapters

• 0:57 Meet Ifeoma Dieke
• 1:44 Where it all began
• 3:51 From Cumbernauld to Miami
• 5:14 Women's game in US
• 6:13 Things are different over there!
• 10:44 Major choice to be made
• 12:46 Pulling on the Scotland kit
• 15:17 Olympic selection
• 18:39 Disaster strikes - knee injury in second game
• 20:55 Scans show damage
• 22:11 Back to support the team
• 22:38 Choosing surgery
• 24:07 Quick tour of UK with Team GB first!
• 25:18 How is recovery going to go
• 27:10 Mental inspiration in rehab
• 28:42 Each rehab is unique
• 30:29 Bumps on the rehab road
• 32:41 Mental rest from rehab is crucial
• 33:59 Traing to return to play has to suit you
• 37:36 Rehab offers chance to strengthen weaknesses
• 39:59 Career highlights
• 40:53 Racial issues did they affect you?
• 43:43 What it really means to be a team player
• 44:37 Emotional injury rollercoaster
• 47:01 Future bright for women's game?