The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Flournoy Overwhelmed with Emotion Following a Year Long Recovery
3/20/2024 4:51:00 PM | Football
BIRMINGHAM – Exactly one year after tearing his achilles, junior offensive lineman Zaire Flournoy was back in the athletic training in tears on Tuesday following the team's first spring practice of 2024.
"I can't believe I made it through a full practice," Flournoy said with tears of joy, and relief.
After three years of waiting his turn, Flournoy was finally penciled in as the starting left guard entering 2023 spring ball. He had made significant strides and Trent Dilfer and his new staff were excited about his potential.
Then on March 28, 2023, during individual non-contact drills, Flournoy ruptured his achilles and everything he had worked for was suddenly gone.
"It was really hard going through the recovery process and having to watch my teammates out there playing," Flournoy said. "Football was my voice and it felt like I lost my voice."
With no football and a rehab program that was going to take a year, Flournoy turned his attention to something else – Community Service.
In the past year, Flournoy has logged almost 60 hours of community service, which is the most of any football player and close to the most of any Blazer student-athlete this year. He noted that turning to community service helped him find is voice in other areas by giving back and talking to more people.
After a full year of diligently working alongside UAB's first-class athletic training staff, Flournoy is fully healthy and now faces the hurdle of trusting his achilles and knowing he belongs on the field.
Since joining the program in 2020, Flournoy has played in 13 career games, including 12 during the 2022 season primarily on special teams. He will now have to work his way back into the lineup in what has become a very deep and competitive offensive line unit which returns four starters from last season.
That competition will play itself out before UAB opens the season on Aug. 29, but for now, Flournoy is just embracing the joys of being back on the field.
"I can't believe I made it through a full practice," Flournoy said with tears of joy, and relief.
After three years of waiting his turn, Flournoy was finally penciled in as the starting left guard entering 2023 spring ball. He had made significant strides and Trent Dilfer and his new staff were excited about his potential.
Then on March 28, 2023, during individual non-contact drills, Flournoy ruptured his achilles and everything he had worked for was suddenly gone.
"It was really hard going through the recovery process and having to watch my teammates out there playing," Flournoy said. "Football was my voice and it felt like I lost my voice."
With no football and a rehab program that was going to take a year, Flournoy turned his attention to something else – Community Service.
In the past year, Flournoy has logged almost 60 hours of community service, which is the most of any football player and close to the most of any Blazer student-athlete this year. He noted that turning to community service helped him find is voice in other areas by giving back and talking to more people.
After a full year of diligently working alongside UAB's first-class athletic training staff, Flournoy is fully healthy and now faces the hurdle of trusting his achilles and knowing he belongs on the field.
Since joining the program in 2020, Flournoy has played in 13 career games, including 12 during the 2022 season primarily on special teams. He will now have to work his way back into the lineup in what has become a very deep and competitive offensive line unit which returns four starters from last season.
That competition will play itself out before UAB opens the season on Aug. 29, but for now, Flournoy is just embracing the joys of being back on the field.
Players Mentioned
OL
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