This story is jointly published by nonprofits Amplify Utah and The Salt Lake Tribune to elevate diverse perspectives in local media through student journalism.
On a February morning at the Zions Bank Real Academy in Herriman, the building echoed with the rhythmic beat of soccer balls passing back and forth, as players for the Utah Royals FC warmed up for a preseason practice.
One of last season’s rookie standouts — 22-year-old defender Lauren Flynn, known to fans and teammates as “Lo Flo” — wasn’t running drills with the team.
Instead, Flynn is spending her training hours in physical therapy, recovering from a season-ending injury that the team announced on Aug. 28. Since going on the injured list, and undergoing surgery, Flynn said she works every day to get back on the pitch, but the journey has proven itself a challenge beyond the physical aspects.
The Utah Royals huddle together at their pre-season practice. Flynn said she’s excited for the upcoming season having seen how much the team is already grown. Photo credits: Elle Crossley
“I was not prepared for the mental toll it would take,” Flynn said.
Almost half of athletes who sustain physical injuries struggle with their mental health as a result, according to research published in Arthroscopy, Sports Medicine, and Rehabilitation. As Flynn gets a start in the 2025 season, that number is more than a statistic – it’s her reality. After two rounds of surgery this fall, she’s had to navigate this unseen side of recovery. For many athletes, returning to the field after an injury takes work on the body and strengthening in the mind.
After four years at Florida State, Flynn was chosen by the Utah Royals as the 16th pick in the National Women’s Soccer League’s 2024 draft. (Her teammates, forwards Ally Sentnor and Brecken Mozingo, were the first and fourth picks.) Halfway through her rookie season, Flynn led the team in combined tackles and interceptions. In week 10, the league recognized her sportsmanship for the Impact Save of the Week.
Through these highs, though, came an unexpected turn.
In May, Flynn said, she started experiencing intense calf pain. As the weeks went on, she hit a point she said she couldn’t push through. In August, doctors diagnosed her with bilateral compartment syndrome in her lower legs, and she was placed on the season-ending injury list. When decreasing her workload didn’t ease the pain, Flynn said she learned surgery was the next step.
Preseason training for the 2025 season looks different for Flynn compared to her teammates. Most of her time is spent recovering in the gym and working on technical drills. Photo credits: Courtesy of the Utah Royals
“I was thinking about how hard [others have] had to work to come back, how long it is,” she said. “And so I think that to me was very daunting. I didn't have any experience with it. I was just scared, honestly, and I was also sad.”
A 2015 study published in the Journal of Athletic Training found sport-related injuries can have a significant psychological influence on athletes. But the sporting world treats injury as a taboo, said Jon Osborn, owner of Utah Sport Psych, so people don’t think about the less visible side of the healing process.
“Athletes [and] coaches don't like talking … about injuries, right?” said Osborn, who hasn’t worked with Flynn or other Royals players. “I think athletes are under-prepared for it to happen because we don't want to talk about it.”
Clay Frost is another mental coach for athletes. He also hasn’t worked with Flynn but said many of the athletes he trains, from high school to the pros, have expressed her same uncertainties. They aren’t prepared, he said, for the mental barriers brought up in recovery until they’re in the thick of it.
“An injury will introduce way more obstacles and unknowns than almost anything else will,” Frost said. “It puts everything that you thought was controllable into an uncontrollable state.”
At the start of her rehab, Flynn said she set a specific date when she wanted to be back playing to her full capabilities. The arbitrary deadline, she said, ended up being a disservice.
“And that was just, kind of feeling a lot of anxiety, because I was like, ‘ok, well, if I have any setbacks, then what does that mean?’” she said.
Flynn said navigating a life without soccer was hard, since it’s always been her greatest passion. When it’s going well, she said, she generally feels happier and more positive. Losing her main outlet came with an emotional cost.
Osborn said this emotional experience is one of the biggest challenges in recovery, especially at the professional level, when the sport becomes a part of an athlete’s identity.
“This is a fort that you have built over 18 years that, in a matter of days, weeks, months, is under attack and sometimes destroyed – this idea that I am an athlete,” he added.
But just as athletes retrain their bodies, they can also retrain their minds. Frost said it starts with trusting the process and focusing on the few steps they can take one day at a time. With this mindset, he added, it’s easier to recognize and celebrate every small victory along the way.
“Confidence is having an undeniable stack of evidence that what you've been doing is helpful,” he said. “And [that] is just a way to count all of those things.”
Flynn said giving herself credit for her progress has served as a reminder of her own strength and willpower, she said, especially when times get tough.
“Some days are hard to come to practice when you want to be in it so badly,” she said. “I think those are the days you really just have to … trust the process, and believe if I work as hard as I can every day, I will get back there.”
Flynn said recovery has taught her lessons she will use for the rest of her life, and she’s looking forward to the season that lies ahead. Photo credits: Courtesy of the Utah Royals
Osborn said he has seen athletes who have overcome injury thrive by applying the skills they learned in recovery to their play. That’s been true for Flynn, who said her journey has reignited her passion for every part of the game. The unexpected challenges made for unexpected growth, she said, reminding her of the power of positivity and making her a better player and teammate.
“Physically, I'm like, ‘OK, great. Things are looking much better,’” Flynn said. “But also mentally, it’s like, ‘OK. This is the progress that I've been waiting to see.’”
As of early April, she has been medically cleared to play and has made two game-day rosters on March 22 and 29, though she did not play. She said taking recovery one day at a time helped her see the growth in her own game and her team. Between the lessons she's learned and the progress she's made, Flynn emphasized her optimism for the future.
“It's been a roller coaster of a year, but I'm really excited for this [season],” she said. “The environment is just really positive. It's really intense and energetic.”
Elle Crossley wrote this story as a journalism student at the University of Utah for a capstone course focused on women’s sports. It is published as part of a collaborative including nonprofits Amplify Utah and The Salt Lake Tribune.
