March 2012 (PDF) - Townsite of Redwood Meadows

Local Athlete Still Going Strong Despite Years of Injuries
Merissa Redwood, 16, lives in Redwood Meadows
and is a member of the Cowessess Reserve. She has
been an elite-level athlete since she was eight years
old and currently swims with the Killarney Synchronized
Swim Club in Calgary.
Merissa started her synchro career with the Calgary
Aquabelles and was following an Olympic dream
when she suffered a serious back injury three years
ago. A very successful athlete, she went from training
22 hours a week to not training at all. Her injury was
so bad that she had to quit swimming and assumed
the worst: that her synchro days were over.
An MRI determined that she had a bulging disc, an
injury for which there is no cure other than physiotherapy
to help manage the symptoms.
Merissa had also suffered for several years from knee
and hip pain, which was caused by overuse and led
to IT band issues. Knee and hip problems are common
in this sport, but with enough physiotherapy,
they can get better.
In Grade 9, Merissa was accepted into the national
sports school, but because her back injury left her
with a slim chance of swimming competitively
again, she left NSS after one year. Merissa is now a
student at Springbank High School.
20 CHATTER IN THE WOODS, March 2012
Merissa had to cope with a huge life change and
struggled with a bout of depression and a sense of
failure due to her back injury. However, after many
months off, she started to feel better and began thinking
once again about swimming. Not knowing if her
back could handle the stress of training 22 or more
hours a week, Merissa decided to leave the Aquabelles
and join the Killarney synchro club, which had
a less intensive training schedule.
Merissa is a national-level athlete, and despite taking
a year off, came back strong and had a very successful
year. She was so successful that she was invited to
go to Hawaii last July to compete in the US Open, her
first international competition. Merissa was excited
to be part of the team representing Alberta in a competition
with participants from all over the world.
She swam in the combo event and her team came in
fourth. She also took part in the figures competition
and came in 36th place, the best-placed member of
her team.
Merissa still suffers from chronic back pain; however,
she loves competing and refuses to give up. She has
had many special moments that she will cherish forever.
Merissa may not go to the Olympics, but she
hopes to be able to compete in many more national
and international competitions, and she will always
give it her all.
Merissa is now training for team and solo events despite
her injuries and she still loves the sport in which
she is a natural. Merissa has had a rough start this
season and has been out of the water more than in it,
but she is trying to manage her pain and hopes to be
back in the water soon. This year Westerns will be
held in Winnipeg and the Canadian Open in Victoria.
Merissa was also to go to Sacramento for an international
meet at the end of February.
Good luck, Merissa, and good work!
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