Every athlete experiences injuries. Whether they may be sore muscles or a broken bone, it is part of the process. With determination, any injury can be overcome. Yet some injuries are so severe, so difficult that even with every bit of fight someone has to give, the situation is just out of their hands. . Unfortunately, these injuries can lead to lost seasons and lost years. Senior varsity girls tennis captain Tara Ezhari knows all too well about this.

“Last year I started experiencing some pain in my right hand at the beginning of the season,” Ezhari continued. “Doctors told me it was just tendonitis so I stayed off of it for a couple weeks.”

Every athlete knows that feeling. Being away from the team and sport you’re passionate about is tough, yet Ezhari was determined to make her return to the court as soon as possible.

“The pain was bearable at first,” Ezhari said. “Then [it was] so severe I couldn’t even move my hand anymore.”

Ezhari feared the worst, and after waiting several months, she went to see specialists at UCLA. The results were devastating.

“It turned out that I had a giant cell tumor in my hand,” Ezhari explained. “[I] had surgery to remove it on Dec. 7, 2023.”

Anybody who has ever had surgery knows the difficulties following it. MedicalNewsToday states that it is common to have post-surgery depression. Despite all of the aftereffects of a mentally and physically tolling surgery, Ezhari stayed optimistic. Albeit the possible circumstances, she maintained a normal routine and kept it out of her mind as much as possible. Ezhari looked forward to the upcoming season as she recovered and was just about ready to play when injuries struck again.

“Unfortunately the tumor came back again this past summer,” Ezhari said. “I had to get another surgery on Aug. 15, 2024.”

When a tumor returns, it requires an even more extensive procedure. Despite the doctor’s efforts to control it earlier, Ezhari’s second procedure was even more difficult.

“They removed four centimeters of my bone and put in a donor bone and a metal plate,” Ezhari continued. “I’ve been in several casts since and won’t be able to fully move my hand until early 2025..”

So then it was over. Ezhari’s hopes of playing in her senior season came crashing down. She tried to fulfill her duties as captain and bond with the team, yet at first, she struggled to see the positives of the situation.

“I’ve enjoyed planning team bonding events and overall bringing the team together to have a great season,” Ezhari said. “It is so fun watching players improve as the season goes on.”

Ezhari now looks back on the season and the changes she had to make to her life to accommodate her injury. Ezhari would not consider quitting, instead, she viewed the challenge as an opportunity to develop a new skill; she would become left-handed. 

“Learning how to be ambidextrous this past year has been difficult,” Ezhari said. “I am now fully able to write with my left hand and even play tennis.”

Her struggles throughout the year finally paid off as she was given the opportunity to play tennis in an actual match again. She took the opportunity on senior night, regardless of the fact that it was a JV match.

“I played the whole doubles match with my left hand,” Ezhari stated. “It felt so surreal to play and win, it couldn’t have been a more perfect senior night.”

That wasn’t the end of her high school career. With her newfound confidence and ambidextrous ability, she took on Moorpark High School in the team’s final league match.

“My coach allowed me to play left-handed again, this time in a varsity match,” Ezhari said. “My partner, Grace Hu, and I won 6-4.”

With her senior season behind her, Ezhari reflects on the ups and downs.

“Being an outside viewer has given me a new perspective on the sport,” Ezhari commented. ”Ultimately, I have learned to not take things for granted because you never know when the privilege of getting to play varsity can be taken away from you.”

Ezhari’s story isn’t completed. Looking ahead, she still wants to play tennis.

“I definitely want to play tennis in college, but not professionally,” Ezhari finished. “I’m happy I could do my best to lead the team to be undefeated league champions.”