It was the practice before the third game of his senior year when Dallas Curtis, an all-American linebacker for Northeastern State University, felt his shoulder tear during a tackling drill.

"I immediately knew something was wrong because I heard it pop and felt the pain," said Curtis.

The problem in Curtis' shoulder was diagnosed as a torn rotator cuff, and after three weeks of 90 minutes of rehabilitation five days a week, he was cleared to play again. "I knew it would hurt through every play I made," he said, "but I knew the only way to finish my season was to play through the pain."

With his determination and love for football, Curtis overcame his fears and was on the football field again soon. But in the first quarter of his first game back, Curtis dislocated his knee, tearing four ligaments. After his knee popped back in place and he limped off the field, Curtis fell down, screaming and crying.

"I knew right then my season was over," he said.

This picture of Dallas Curtis is a familiar one for student-athletes, their coaches, their athletic trainers and even fans. What happens next, though, is less visible to the outside world.

Before injured student-athletes are able to participate again, they must go through a rigorous rehabilitation program that demands hard work and a large time commitment. Mental and emotional fatigue and loneliness can be constant companions while a student-athlete's body is being repaired.

Loss of identity

Depending on the injury, a student-athlete may visit the training room three to five times daily for weeks or even months. Many injured student-athletes still are expected to attend practices and all team activities, such as study hall or watching films, while devoting countless hours to rehabilitation.

Student-athletes who are in rehabilitation often are focused on healing rather than skill training. They may feel like they are falling behind or losing their position on the team. With class, practice, studying, rehabilitation time and other commitments, few hours are left in the day for an injured student-athlete.

Along with the physical rehabilitation comes the emotional and mental aspects of recovering from an injury. Injured student-athletes often have feelings of frustration and loneliness because of the separation from their teammates and lack of athletics participation. Curtis admitted that after his career-ending injury, he didn't feel like a part of the team because he wasn't contributing on the field.

"Athletes have a support network of family, friends, teammates, psychologists, coaches, doctors, athletic trainers and physical therapists who are there to be utilized and help athletes cope with the physical and mental aspect of an injury," said Bryan Smith M.D., team physician at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. "Some schools, such as North Carolina, have injury-support groups composed of student-athletes, psychologists and physicians. Discussions take place where injured student-athletes can share their experiences."

Rochel Rittgers, athletic trainer at Augustana College (Illinois), said the mental side is important because so many young people base their whole being on the concept of being a student-athlete. "Student-athletes introduce themselves as 'so-and-so the basketball player,' " Rittgers said. "It is an identity and an emotional crisis when an athlete is injured."

Rittgers said if an athletic trainer can't get to a student-athlete's emotional side, then the athlete cannot be helped physically. She believes the athletic trainer's job during rehabilitation is to physically prepare student-athletes with a confidence level that allows them to use their body again.

"As an athletic trainer, you have to be there as a friend first," said Keith Garnett, athletic trainer at Drury University and former assistant trainer of the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs. "Educate the student-athlete, show them the pros and cons of rehabilitation, but comfort them as well."

The grind has its benefits

Outsiders might be surprised to learn of the degree to which student-athletes avoid rehabilitation. They may think that serious injuries happen only to other athletes or that the problem will remedy itself. Time also can be a factor when school work or labs seem to take precedence over rehabilitation time.

But student-athletes who neglect rehabilitation do so at their peril.

"If an athlete is injured and doesn't take care of himself or herself, they may injure themselves even more," said Dewayne Barnes, graduate assistant athletic trainer at Whittier College. "Rehabilitation can be burdensome, but it is a very important part of athletics."

It takes a certain level of maturity to come to the training room daily and do grueling, often painful, rehabilitation tasks. In fact, rehabilitation reveals a level of commitment to the team, the coach and the involved student-athlete, said Rittgers.

Ultimately, though, a student-athlete may feel the need to endure the tedium and pain of rehabilitation for more practical reasons.

"Collegiate athletes are competing because they love what they do," Rittgers said. "But when a student-athlete stops playing at a Division I or Division II level, the opportunity to lose scholarship money and an education presents itself."

Garnett also said that some Division I student-athletes are motivated to compete at a higher level. In such cases, the benefit of extensive rehabilitation is clear: It allows a student-athlete to recover and return to competition in the quickest and safest amount of time.

Curtis had been talking with scouts and exploring the opportunity to play professional football before his career-ending knee injury. Those dreams are no longer an option. With surgery and a year of rehabilitation approaching, Curtis is trying to stay positive.

"I look back at the good times and the memories and I am thankful for what I had," he said. "I have no regrets. I feel like I gave everything I had every play, every game, every day."

For most athletes, regardless of what type of injury, the love of their sport and the desire to compete will always be with them.

"There will always be the fire inside of me that wants to play again," Curtis said.

Crissy Kaesebier is vice-chair of the NCAA Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. She participated in volleyball at Drury University, where her career was shortened by injury.