Jackie Stiles has never had to figure out her role on the basketball court. Until this year, it's the one place she's always felt comfortable and confident.
Last year's WNBA Rookie of the Year, Portland's first All-star, and the NCAA's all-time leading female scorer in any division are just a few of the long list of accolades this 24-year-old has collected in her basketball career. But in her sophomore season with the Fire, Stiles is struggling with how to contribute when injuries have robbed her of mobility and strength.
"I'm 24, but I feel like I'm 84," she said after scoring just three points in 14 minutes in the Fire's 86-83 loss to Utah Tuesday night. "It's definitely hard to swallow. I'm doing what I can to contribute, but it's hard."
Stiles has scar tissue that causes stiffness in her right wrist, which has made her shooting hand 50 percent less mobile than it was last year. She had surgery on the wrist in September to remove bone chips and tighten ligaments. She said the best it's been since the surgery was 75 percent, but once the season started she fell on it several times and aggravated the injury.
She's also fighting bursitis in her right Achilles tendon. It is so painful that she cannot practice or run on it very hard, and the extra shots she's been taking every day since high school are history now.
"I have to limit my minutes on it," she said. "And sometimes I wear a boot when I'm not playing. I'm pretty much always in pain with the foot."
Stiles has never come off the bench, not even as a freshman in high school. So finding her way as a role player the past five games has been difficult.
"It's just something I have to struggle through," she said smiling, but emotion wavering her voice. "I know part of success is how you handle adversity, and I'm going to find a way to overcome this. I have great support from my teammates and coaching staff."
In addition to the injuries, Stiles is struggling with a new offense and says the defense of other teams has been tougher on her this season.
"They've been keying on me and taking away my strengths," she said. "I have to figure out how to deal with that, too."
Stiles wants to play as long as possible this season and have surgery on both her wrist and foot in the off season. She will give up training and playing with USA Basketball in the off-season to deal with the injuries.
"I want to hang on this season as long as I can," she said, "even if it's not the same role I'm used to playing."
She said her love for her teammates and basketball sustain her through the frustration and injuries.
"I just love this game," she said. "That's why I'm waiting. And my teammates, that's what gets me through the pain. It would be easy to quit and go have the surgeries now. I'm going to battle through this."
E-mail: adonaldson@desnews.com