Less than a year after tearing ACL, volleyball player makes comeback at AAU Volleyball Classic
04/04/2024
Two weeks after being cleared by her doctors, Jonelis Nieves was back on the court at this past weekend’s AAU Volleyball Classic
By Kelsey Burr
The cheers when Jonelis Nieves subbed into a game during the AAU Volleyball Classic were deafening and filled with emotion.
It was her first game in eight months, after she tore her ACL during her high school volleyball season in August 2023.
Despite having not played a single game with her club team, the 16U Black Team for 1915 Excel Volleyball Club, she had prepared for this moment. During her recovery, she attended every practice, every tournament, and all the team bonding events.
That dedication meant that just two weeks after being cleared by her doctors, Nieves was back on the court at this past weekend’s AAU Volleyball Classic – with some stipulations.
“We’re still slowly making the transition to her playing full time, as she’s a libero. In an effort to keep her from attempting to dive, we agreed, after speaking with her parents, that if we were up by a certain number of points during a game, we would bring her in, so she didn’t feel the pressure,” said Briana Greene, Club Director at 1915 Excel Volleyball Club. “We told our starting line-up, ‘Let’s fight for JoJo.’”
The team stepped up and hit the points mark where they felt it was safe for Nieves to come in, and that’s when the crowd went wild.
“I felt very good,” Nieves said. “I feel like I’m making a lot of progress and that I’ll probably be able to play fully sooner than expected. I loved that everyone was so happy that I was back on the court, and they had my back.”
It was an emotional moment for Nieves’ parents.
“At first, I was scared to death that something could go wrong, and we would have to start from zero again,” said Raytza Nieves, Jonelis’ mom. “That could happen anytime still, but I know she’s been wanting to go back on the court and I had to trust her and the team. That game was perfect to give her baby steps. The girls did an amazing job. They communicated well on the court, so they were not in each other’s space allowing her to move and have the space. That made it a lot easier. I was so happy seeing her beautiful, smiley face. Just writing this makes me tear up a little but from joy and happiness.”
Nieves’ coach, Briana Greene, said that the libero was able to see a new perspective of the game and gain knowledge while sitting on the sidelines during her recovery.
“She proved that an injury does not define you. You push through, continue to grow, and still show up. … She is a true inspiration to our entire team,” Greene said. “Jojo has her sunshine back.”
The cheers when Jonelis Nieves subbed into a game during the AAU Volleyball Classic were deafening and filled with emotion.
It was her first game in eight months, after she tore her ACL during her high school volleyball season in August 2023.
Despite having not played a single game with her club team, the 16U Black Team for 1915 Excel Volleyball Club, she had prepared for this moment. During her recovery, she attended every practice, every tournament, and all the team bonding events.
That dedication meant that just two weeks after being cleared by her doctors, Nieves was back on the court at this past weekend’s AAU Volleyball Classic – with some stipulations.
“We’re still slowly making the transition to her playing full time, as she’s a libero. In an effort to keep her from attempting to dive, we agreed, after speaking with her parents, that if we were up by a certain number of points during a game, we would bring her in, so she didn’t feel the pressure,” said Briana Greene, Club Director at 1915 Excel Volleyball Club. “We told our starting line-up, ‘Let’s fight for JoJo.’”
The team stepped up and hit the points mark where they felt it was safe for Nieves to come in, and that’s when the crowd went wild.
“I felt very good,” Nieves said. “I feel like I’m making a lot of progress and that I’ll probably be able to play fully sooner than expected. I loved that everyone was so happy that I was back on the court, and they had my back.”
It was an emotional moment for Nieves’ parents.
“At first, I was scared to death that something could go wrong, and we would have to start from zero again,” said Raytza Nieves, Jonelis’ mom. “That could happen anytime still, but I know she’s been wanting to go back on the court and I had to trust her and the team. That game was perfect to give her baby steps. The girls did an amazing job. They communicated well on the court, so they were not in each other’s space allowing her to move and have the space. That made it a lot easier. I was so happy seeing her beautiful, smiley face. Just writing this makes me tear up a little but from joy and happiness.”
Nieves’ coach, Briana Greene, said that the libero was able to see a new perspective of the game and gain knowledge while sitting on the sidelines during her recovery.
“She proved that an injury does not define you. You push through, continue to grow, and still show up. … She is a true inspiration to our entire team,” Greene said. “Jojo has her sunshine back.”
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