It’s not often you meet a person like Casey Dumont; one that faces her battles with immense optimism, determination and resilience.
Dumont is a professional Australian footballer and her many career achievements mean she should definitely not be overlooked. Whilst patiently waiting for her return from a ruptured Achilles tendon suffered in September 2020, Melbourne Victory fans are sure to be ecstatic about the prospect of Dumont adding to her 37 appearances for the club, in the upcoming A-League Women’s competition.
“I can’t praise Victory enough. Straight away, the minute Jeff [Hopkins, Melbourne Victory head coach] found out, he contacted me, he got the medical staff and they were straight on it. Just as a respectful friend as well, just checking that I was okay. This helped mentally, to know that there are people there if I need them.”
Dumont spoke very passionately about Hopkins and Melbourne Victory as a whole. “It’s very professional now, and it’s really great to see that the league’s really taken off in understanding that the women are just as important as the men,” she explained.
Injury Transformation
Carrying an unfortunate list of injuries, stemming from severe Osteitis Pubis, a lacerated liver, an ACL injury and that recent ruptured Achilles tendon, Dumont was optimistic and positive when discussing her experiences as a footballer. As a young footballer myself, I found talking to Dumont truly inspirational, and I hope her story resonates with others as well.
“I’ve learnt to become very grateful for what I do have. Obviously things can change very quickly in a blink of an eye for everyone. It’s about enjoying the moments as they come and looking at the positives, even when there’s a lot of negatives around.”
Dumont’s support networks were her rock whilst persisting through her most recent injury. Reaching out to those closest to her, such as family and those in her workplace, provided her with the stability and support needed.
“I think the biggest thing mentally is having the support, and not being afraid to reach out to those support networks. Not being afraid to tell someone, ‘hey I’m having a bad day’. Everyone keeps a lot of things bottled in and sometimes it’s better to let it out.”
It was at the conclusion of the 2020 NPLW season when Dumont ruptured her Achilles and unfortunately could not take the pitch for Melbourne Victory in their championship season.
“It was very full-on and a bit stressful at the time the injury occurred. I’ve done it before. I made sure I just focused on something else.”
Dumont explained that the most important aspect of an injury is being able to adapt and get yourself into a regular routine, instead of falling into the usual “funk” of not wanting to get out of bed.
She was able to rely on meditation and yoga as an outlet for mental stability: “when you can’t move one part of your body, you can move another”. She participated in online studying and courses offered by the Government to enhance her nursing knowledge.
“I’ve also become a Netflix queen!”
Dumont’s advice to young individuals going through the same process, facing obstacles, and questioning if persistence is worth the challenge involves:
“Accepting that it is going to change, that the next couple of months are going to be very different to what you’re used to, and that’s okay. A lot of people fight that feeling. Accepting that it is okay to feel down.”
Love for Nursing
Whilst football was placed on hold, Dumont found herself focusing on her love for nursing. She became a registered nurse in 2013 and continues to pursue this love, combining it with football, as she has been given the opportunity to chase her dreams in both areas of passion.
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Luckily, Dumont’s skills, resilience and amazing workplace support allowed her to continue working as a nurse during such an injury. She was placed on desk duty, ensuring her mind was considerably busy and away from football.
“In previous W-League’s, I’ve nursed and soccered at the same time, and then in the offseason, I definitely nurse primarily.”
“It’s always been an on and off thing and it will always be a continual thing. I’ve always done both and I love both just as much as each other. I couldn’t pick one over the other.”
Combining nursing with football has definitely taught Dumont many skills and life lessons, which seem to intertwine with one another, overlapping the professions. Having a nursing and medical background has assisted her in understanding the symptoms for an injury, as well as the process of healing, care and recovery.
“It’s a team environment. In soccer, you’ve got your squad, and in nursing, you’ve got your colleagues. Lots of things relate to each job.”
A-League Women
With the change of competition name from “W-League” to “A-League Women” and an extended season, Dumont was able to express her positive opinion on the topic.
“I’m happy that it’s happened. What the men do, can be different to what the women bring in, as well as what the women bring in, the youth might do different. So, I think that’s fantastic we are all now under the one brand.”
Top 3 Questions
TIPS TO SAVE A PENALTY: research, video analysis, pick a way and back yourself
TOP FORWARDS TO LOOK OUT FOR: Princess Ibini-Isei, Katrina Gorry, Remy Siemsen, Kim Carroll
HIGHLIGHT OF CAREER: Rio Olympics, 2011 World Cup, 2010 Asian Cup Winners, Multiple Premierships with A-League Women teams, first professional season in Queensland (Premiership and Championship double)
I concluded by asking Dumont if Victory will finish as back-to-back Champions in 2022, and she was confident in the team’s preseason preparations to complete this task.
“The drive to get that back-to-back is there already. Seeing the younger girls grow, and how much they’ve grown already, it’s fantastic.”
“Our goal is to do it back-to-back. We are wanting to get that minor premiership, and we are wanting to perform every week. We make sure it’s not a bloody easy job for the other team.”
Follow Beyond 90’s coverage of A-League Women (a.k.a. The Dub)
