Aug. 11, 2009
WASHINGTON - Ibu Otegbeye didn't expect to spend his sophomore year on the sidelines. After working hard all summer he had moved into a starting role as an underclassman. But there he was on a warm November day watching the Hoyas clinch the third seed in the BIG EAST Men's Soccer Tournament while he sat on the sidelines in street clothes.
"When Dr. K (Georgetown Team Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. John Klimkiewicz) told me I had torn my ACL, I was disappointed because I had gotten the starting spot at the beginning of the year and worked hard that summer," said Otegbeye. "It was hard watching the team from the sidelines but it was something you've got to get used to and get over."
Six games into the 2008 season, Otegbeye went down with a knee injury at practice.
"We were scrimmaging and I was defending someone. They went to take a shot and I went to block it but I came down on my right foot. My knee shifted down and came back up and I immediately knew something was wrong. Before the diagnosis I was trying to be optimistic and hoped I had hyperextended it."
Unfortunately for the promising student-athlete, that wasn't the case.
Otegbeye had suffered a tear of the anterior cruciate ligament which is crucial to knee stability and necessary to play competitive soccer.
The decision was quickly made for him to forgo the season and have surgery. Since he appeared in only six games, he was eligible for the NCAA's medical hardship waiver granting him an additional year of eligibility. Even with another year promised, his sudden departure was a blow to the team.
"If you look at last year with Ibu in the back four, we gave up one goal in the first six games," said Georgetown Head Coach Brian Wiese. "Losing him for the season was a bigger loss than a lot of people outside the program realized."
After surgery, Otegbeye began the long road back with rehab while still attending classes, practices and most games.
"My rehab was entirely on campus. For the first two months I went to a rehab facility at the hospital," he said. "After two months, Dr. K told me I could work with (GU Athletic Trainer) Melissa (Robinson). She did the individual stuff with me to strengthen my quad. I worked with (GU Strength & Conditioning Coach) Mike Hill this summer doing agility and weight lifting."
With some newfound time on his hands, Otegbeye was also able to throw himself into his studies. Going through INROADS, a non-profit organization that trains and develops talented minority youth for professional careers in business and industry, he landed a summer internship with the Federal Reserve System.
The rising junior stayed on campus this summer to work full-time at one of the most prominent arms of the government during the recent economic crisis. On a daily basis he created weekly reports on current events going on with banks the Federal Reserve supervises to see what happened and how this related to different consumer affairs issues.
"This internship gave me a stronger understanding of the government's role in private industry issues. I always had the perception that banks were given regulations, but weren't too strictly regulated. After working there, you get a stronger understanding of what they do and how strongly they regulate banks."
While it is a yearly summer position, Otegbeye was quick to agree that with recent events his job became more relevant.
"Due to the subprime crisis and the economic crisis, the Federal Reserve has had to play a larger role than ever before in fiscal issues. The name Federal Reserve has gotten bigger this year not just as a government agency, but as a bigger player in the government."
Despite his 9-5 day, rehab has still been at the forefront of Otegbeye's mind as he spent the summer balancing college life with work and soccer.
"It was a tiring summer. I would workout before work and run after work so by that time I was so exhausted that I went to bed at 9 or 10 o'clock."
His work has not been lost on his coaches.
"Ibu is the kind of kid who when told to do something he'll do it plus a little more," said Wiese. "Rehabbing to get back on the field, he has done everything, going above and beyond on a daily basis, to cover every angle quickly."
His double workouts are part of the plan to start right where he left off last season. The returning backline is one of the most experienced in the BIG EAST. With two seniors who have started in the previous three seasons, a seasoned junior and the return of Otegbeye the Hoyas look to be one of the strongest groups in the conference.
Training camp will not be the first time Otegbeye hits the pitch. He was cleared to play in February and took part in the Hoyas' spring practices. Although he is allowed to play, he will be the first to admit it will take a lot to get back to his old form.
"The first time I played, I didn't feel timid but it was quite apparent that I couldn't play physically at the level before the injury. It's pretty frustrating but people warned me that the healing process is a lengthy process. I'm not completely there but I'm starting to feel that I'll be 95-100 percent after preseason."
Otegbeye is expected to play an important role in Georgetown's defensive scheme which posted a record 10 shutouts last season. An elusive NCAA Tournament bid is one of the team's loftiest goals, but with experienced returners and a talented recruiting class, this could be the year for the Hoyas.
As Otegbeye prepares for preseason, he knows that he will have to take his knee's progress day-to-day, but those around him see a bright future for the defender.
Wiese summed it up in one statement, "He's worked really hard to get back to where he is to be ready to play and any success he has is deserved. We're excited to get him back."
