Abby Pyne has a tattoo on her left wrist that says “Be grateful.”
It indicates the resilient mindset of the Duke University soccer goalkeeper from Dixmont and Bangor’s John Bapst High School.
Pyne was dealt a roadblock to her soccer career when a knee injury resulted in minor surgery followed by a major operation to repair the severely torn cartilage in her left knee Sept. 23, 2013. Then there was an 18-month healing period.
She hasn’t played in more than two years but is cautiously optimistic she will finally get back into game action this fall for the Blue Devils.
She was a medical redshirt as a freshman at Duke last season.
Pyne undergoes physical therapy four days a week, and her practice regimen depends on how her knee feels. She also spends a lot of time in the training room getting treatments.
“It has definitely been one of the toughest mental challenges I’ve ever faced,” Pyne said.
After devoting so much of her life to keeping balls out of the net, not playing soccer for an extended period of time was a difficult pill to swallow.
“Looking back, it can be a blessing in disguise. It has made me hungrier than ever. I will never take the sport for granted again,” she said. “It has also allowed me to really appreciate the academic side of Duke and the other opportunities here as well as the students.”
She also said that by watching from the sidelines last season, “my mental awareness is much higher. I watched a lot of games and focused on different aspects of it.”
Pyne has been limited during the current preseason. During double sessions, she has participated in only one of the two daily practices.
“It’s a day-by-day thing,” Pyne said. “But my knee seems to be getting stronger and I’m getting more comfortable.
“I’m getting there. My knee is holding up pretty well.”
She said has had to work on developing her whole body due to the atrophy caused by the long layoff.
“It’s not just the knee, it takes a toll on the whole body,” Pyne said. “I lost a lot of muscle so I do an extra lift or two to make sure my muscles stay strong.”
She is quick to credit Duke head coach Robbie Church, the rest of the coaching staff, the trainers, her teammates and medical team at Duke for their roles in aiding her progress. She said they have been “conservative in order to make sure the knee has had time to rest.
“I have been managed very, very well,” Pyne said. “They have been understanding. Coach [Church] has been awesome. They are going to make sure I am healthy [before I play]. That’s their number one priority and I’m very thankful for that. We’re trying to maximize my time I’m on the field.”
Church said they not only want to make sure she is healthy before she appears in a game, they want to make sure there won’t be any lingering effects after her playing career so she can lead a normal life.
Church said they are bringing her along slowly and that she has made significant progress.
“We’re very happy with where she is,” Church said.
Church said the 6-foot-1 Pyne will have a “huge role” with the team.
She is one of just two goalkeepers on the roster along with sophomore E.J. Proctor, who backed up Ali Kershner a year ago. Proctor appeared in 12 games and started once.
“Abby has a great presence,” said Church, who noted she has been among the premier goalkeepers in the country in her age group. “She’s a good shot stopper and does a good job commanding the penalty box.”
He also said Pyne is “very personable.”
Pyne said Proctor has been “very supportive” and they have forged a “very strong friendship.”
Pyne, who played her freshman and sophomore seasons at John Bapst before transferring to the Loomis-Chaffee School in Connecticut, played during the spring season but began experiencing problems again so she had “four sets of injections” this summer and it has helped significantly.
Pyne, who was also a good basketball player, said she can’t wait to put on a Duke jersey for the first time and take her place between the posts.
“Obviously, I’ve made mistakes but the learning curve is going pretty well right now. I’m definitely looking forward to the season,” said Pyne, who was ranked the No. 75 player and 10th-best goalkeeper in the country’s freshman class by TopDrawer Soccer.com last fall.
She feels the Blue Devils are going to have a good season in the Atlantic Coast Conference, which she considers the best conference in the country.
“We have a talented team and we all pull for each other,” said Pyne, who has Sept. 24 circled on her calendar because it is her 19th birthday and Duke plays at Boston College.
“That’s going to be awesome,” said Pyne, who hopes to be between the posts for that one.
Duke opens against Fresno State in the University of North Carolina’s Nike Classic Friday, Aug. 21.