TUCSON, Arizona — "Life sometimes throws a curveball," said Pima Aztecs athletic trainer Becky Fajardo.
The only curveballs on this day are from the Pima College baseball team. And, if there is any injury from a ball or otherwsie, Fajardo will be ready. She arrives at the ballpark five hours before gametime. When the taping stops and the game starts, she hopes she won't be needed.
"We like to be spectators," added Fajardo.
A torn ACL in high school led to a career an athletic trainer and what Fajardo says she enjoys most about the job.
"The kids, by far, hands down. Being around the positive energy that they have every day and seeing them come out and compete and overcome adversity."
As it turns out, it is Fajardo who has overcome adversity. She woke up one morning and had lost some of her vision, so she went to the eye doctor.
"The more tests he started doing, the more some of my medical background started kicking in. It was my brain, and I was told I had a stroke."
The stroke that Fajardo suffered was at the age of 29. And, she still has some vision loss from it.
"And headaches, but other than that, I consider myself pretty luck if that's all I have."
It's not all Fajardo had. In her thirties, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
"I had a mammogram six months before that and nothing showed up. Something was a little irregular and they said, 'Let's move forward.' Low and behold, another block in the road, but you overcome these obstacles."
The Aztec players admiration for her is clear.
"She's a great human being," said outfielder Austin Madsen. "You always feel comfortable around her. It's great."
Fajardo helped Madsen recover from a torn meniscus, and not just the physical part of the injury.
"Keeping my mental space good," added Madsen. "Keeping everything good so I feel good and play good."
First baseman Benji Cazares says he isn't sure if we would have been able to participate in last year's playoffs without Fajardo helping him come back from a high ankle sprain.
"She always asks about our day," said Cazares. "She brings a lot of happiness to the team."
Pima ended up winning last year's conference championship. On this day, there are no serious injuries. If there were, Fajardo would be there with the right equipment, and the right outlook.
"It's all about perspective," said Fajardo. "I don't advertise that I had a stroke. I don't advertise that I had breast cancer. There are many things going on in people's lives that you may not known. I try to be positive for the kids as they are overcoming adversity as we are. Every day is a new day and you just have to make it the best day possible."
