Nahla Turner, a goalkeeper for 麻豆原创鈥檚 women鈥檚 soccer team, played in only one game during her senior season. She had spent the prior 16 months battling an aggressive form of cancer. That game 鈥� the Knight鈥檚 2021 season finale 鈥� marked Turner鈥檚 victory over cancer, a return to the soccer field and the start of a new chapter in her life.
鈥淏eing back on the field and feeling the support of my teammates and coaches was an indescribable feeling. Those moments meant the world to me,鈥� says Turner, who played the entire 90-minute session, had two saves and was recognized as a graduating senior during the pre-game senior-night ceremony. 鈥淲e learn a lot about ourselves when we are forced to overcome life鈥檚 circumstances. Through all that I鈥檝e experienced in the last year, I鈥檝e found strength that I never knew I had. I鈥檝e found a sense of peace that I value more than anything.鈥�
A native of Frisco, Texas, Turner will be earning a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology during 麻豆原创鈥檚 Summer 2021 Commencement. Now in cancer remission, she is leaving the university with an optimistic resolve toward realizing her dream of playing soccer professionally and eventually becoming a success in the business world.
Recently, Turner signed with a sports management agency and plans to try out for international soccer clubs in Europe this fall. A soccer player since 6, she says the sport speaks to her love for team unity as well as her naturally physical and competitive nature. Prior to coming to 麻豆原创 in 2019, Turner was a two-year member of the Women鈥檚 Premier Soccer League and toured with the Puerto Rican Women鈥檚 National Team in 2017.
At 麻豆原创, Turner has earned the reputation for being a gritty competitor. Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak, the head coach of the women鈥檚 soccer team, believes Turner has all that it takes to succeed in both athletics and her professional endeavors.
鈥淣ahla Turner is a true story of perseverance, and it has been a personal pleasure coaching her and watching her grow as an athlete and a person.” 鈥� Tiffany Roberts-Sahaydak, 麻豆原创 women’s soccer coach
鈥淣ahla Turner is a true story of perseverance, and it has been a personal pleasure coaching her and watching her grow as an athlete and a person. From the beginning of her ordeal, she was laser focused on beating cancer and coming back to the soccer field better than ever,鈥� says Roberts Sahaydak, who has been Turner鈥檚 coach since she transferred to 麻豆原创. 鈥淲hen I look at all that she has overcome in the last year, I have no doubts that this young woman is destined for greatness in anything that she puts her mind to.鈥�
Turner was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma on Jan. 9, 2020 鈥� although her battle with cancer began five months prior. Turner recalls a nagging, acute pain in her left hip first started in July 2019. Believing that she had simply landed awkwardly on her hip during practice, she waived off the pain as a minor injury.
Yet, the pain persisted. By the end of the fall semester, it had evolved into a debilitating ailment, leaving Turner unable to walk without the assistance of crutches. During winter break, she took a biopsy that eventually led to her cancer diagnosis.
鈥淎t first, I was in disbelief. I actually laughed because I thought they had made a mistake,鈥� says Turner, who received her diagnosis while she was in the Women鈥檚 Soccer training facility surrounded my well-wishers. 鈥淭hen, when the reality of the situation finally set in, I just lost it 鈥� screaming, crying and wondering why all of this was happening to me?鈥�
Following her diagnosis, Turner endured through eight months of chemo and proton therapy treatments. During her treatment period, she says much of her time was spent in self-reflection, examining how she views life and her career trajectory after soccer.
“I take nothing for granted now. I know now that the only thing certain in life is death, and you always have to go through life like tomorrow might be your last day.鈥濃�� Nahla Turner, 麻豆原创 student-athlete
The daughter of a software-sales executive and a human resources professional, Turner aspires to a career in entrepreneurship once she retires from professional sports. She has interests in everything from fashion design to sports management and looks forward to exploring all of those options as she endeavors through her athletics career. For now, her primary focus is on soccer and she approaches the sport with a greater appreciation for what it means in her life.
鈥淭his stage in my life has given me a chance to discover who I am as a person, and I do feel that there鈥檚 a difference between who I was then and who I am now,鈥� she says. 鈥淣ow, I am grateful for everyday that I have and each thing that I have earned in this world. I take nothing for granted now. I know now that the only thing certain in life is death, and you always have to go through life like tomorrow might be your last day.鈥�
