Michael Shaughnessy: Triumph Over Adversity

When all odds were against him, Michael looked to the Y, “a place that I have always seemed to reconnect with.” Michael’s passion for soccer came to a sudden halt when he tore his achilles tendon in June, 2022. On his path to recovery he utilized the Y as an outlet to improve himself and to strive to be the best person he can be.

Soccer has always played a big part in Michael’s life. This recurring hobby of his became progressively more difficult as he began to become out of shape. This eventually caught up to Michael which directly caused his injury. Luckily, his achilles did not fully tear so he did not require any operation. Nonetheless, he had to spend some time in an aircast and from that point forward he began to start working towards recovering. Due to his prior familiarity, he began to regularly visit the Y, a “good friend you need to have who stays there.” During his visits to the Y, he not only recovered from his injury but also addressed the heart of the issue and got back in shape.

The Y has always been a familiar entity in Michael’s life. In 1994, Michael would often go to the Manchester Y to work out with his cousin after school. This acted as his initial exposure and ever since he has always relied on it. Over the past 14 years he has viewed the Y not only as a place to improve physical wellness, but also mental wellness.

Michael was tired of staying still and needed an outlet to improve. He stated “we do not want to challenge ourselves because we do not want to be seen.” Michael broke free from this ideology and became the person he wants to be, not just for himself, but also for his family. Nowadays, Michael has expressed interest in professional soccer after trying out for Division 2, which he described to be the highest level of soccer he has ever played. In June of 2022, Michael considered he would be lucky if he could continue playing soccer all together. Now, he has discovered a newfound appreciation for fitness at the Y, “a place for people to go to just better themselves.”

Written by NCC student, Ben Knutson, who is completing an internship with the Y.