“It was devastating because it was my passion. I was playing every week, training twice a week and progressing in the team. It was hard to decide to quit.”
Takara Hawthorne-Smith was a talented striker for Wolverhampton Wanderers Women after being picked up by the club when she was 11. But aged 24, and after two keyhole surgeries, she stepped away from the game that dominated her childhood.
“I started at around nine or 10 and I played it at lunchtime,” the 26-year-old says. “In my last year of primary school I played for the school team and then I continued. At 11 I had trials for Wolves’ under-12s and got selected.”
However, in 2007 her first injury struck: “It was torn ligaments – it was just a sudden turn and then my knee just gave way.” After resting and icing the knee and giving it time to repair she returned only for injury to strike again.
“I went back to the hospital and they said: ‘You’ve torn your ligaments and damaged your cartilage.’ I had continued playing and done more damage.”
After keyhole surgery and physiotherapy she was able to lace up after a year on the sidelines. “When I came back I was playing with the first team and the reserves. I was building up my confidence. I was back for a year; then, in the last game of the season, my knee went again.”
Hawthorne-Smith had the chance to join Charlton but travelling to London two to three times a week while studying was not a viable option. She got a trial at Arsenal, a team she had dreamt of playing for, but was not taken on. When her knee had given way in that final game she knew it was over. Another year out was not an option. Confidence shattered and back in recovery the gym became her new home.
Hawthorne-Smith did the Level 2 gym instructor course, then gained her Level 3 personal training qualification while rebuilding her knee. It was in the gym that people started to comment on her strength and pointed her in the direction of powerlifting.
Initially she was not interested in transferring to another sport. But the pressure grew and after researching it she began some sessions. In December 2015, after only six weeks of preparation, she entered the West Midlands senior championship and won.
“I did some more research, got more knowledge of the sport and then in 2016 I competed in my first British championships and came seventh out of 15. The following year I finished second.”
Now she is preparing to head to Canada for the world championships from 6-17 June. Rather than being a burden her knee has benefited from her new sport too: “It’s helped me, funnily enough. A lot of people wonder whether the heavy lifting and squats affects the knee. But powerlifting has actually strengthened it and given me confidence. If I don’t train my legs, that’s when I start to get the odd shoot-outs [pains]. It’s just my body telling me I need to keep mobile and keep working on it.”
She trains four to five times a week. “Football has helped my discipline, especially when it comes to training,” she says. “My weight training is more specific, though: Monday I’ll do squats and legs; Tuesday bench and arms; rest on the Wednesday; Thursday deadlifts and back; Friday shoulders and arms; Sunday another bench session.”
After football Hawthorne-Smith did not think she would be able to participate in sport again. “It was hard. At times I look at it and wish I was still playing and wonder where I would be playing now.
“Then you flip to the other side: I never thought I’d get into any other physical activity with my knee the way it is. Being able to take up another sport has helped give me confidence and kept me active.”
She is focused on trying to become only the second woman from the UK to deadlift 220kg when she competes in Canada (her best is 207.5kg). She is also targeting a 180kg squat (her best is 172.5kg) and to bench press 105kg (PB 100kg). Coaching her is the world champion powerlifter David Gray. “Learning off him and others like him has been important. When it comes to setting target weights they push me. They can see the potential when I don’t think I can do it.”
Her competitiveness evident, Hawthorne-Smith may not have the knee to play football week in, week out but she struggles to pass up the chance to have a ball at her feet: “Of course I miss football. If I’m with people that are playing … I can’t help getting stuck in.”
Talking points
• Paris Saint-Germain struck to deny Lyon a third consecutive treble by winning the Coupe de France in tough conditions. Marie-Antoinette Katoto’s 16th-minute goal separated the sides. Violent storms in the second half disrupted play for an hour, forcing Lyon to try to launch a comeback on an almost unplayable pitch. In Spain Barcelona halted Atlético Madrid’s race to a domestic double, Mariona’s extra-time goal handing them the Copa de la Reina for the sixth time.
• The newly crowned PFA and FWA player of the year, Fran Kirby, has signed a new contract with WSL1 champions Chelsea. She scored 25 goals to help them to the league and FA Cup double and has committed to 2021.
• Birmingham’s striker Ellen White was named England’s player of the year at the FA Women’s Football Awards. Arsenal’s Beth Mead was crowned young player of the year. Among the 20-plus awards of the night Chelsea picked up WSL1 team of the year and Emma Hayes WSL1 manager of the year.
• Manchester City have moved fast to sign 22-year-old midfielder Caroline Weir from Liverpool and 17-year-old striker Lauren Hemp from Bristol City. Scotland international Weir, a long-time target, scored 13 goals in 35 games for Liverpool and won the FA Cup with Arsenal in 2014. Hemp is the PFA young player of the year and was England player of the year in 2017.
• Sunderland will be appealing against the FA’s decision to demote them from the top tier to the third tier as part of a restructuring of the women’s pyramid. Seven of the current Lionesses squad were produced by the Black Cats. The move leaves the north-east without a top-flight side.
