Louise Rouse: Dealing with career-changing concussions

Louise Rouse appeared destined for a bright future in basketball having emerged as one of the fastest-rising British prospects in the past decade.

But it’s now approaching a year since Rouse last took to the court in Canada – and the months that followed led to a reluctant decision to step away from the sport.

The effects of repeated concussions – up to 10 in total – have continued to linger, which ultimately led Rouse to face the reality of the importance of protecting her future health over the pursuit of her basketball career.

“I think after the symptoms weren’t getting any better – and if anything, they seemed to be getting worse at about the five-six month stage – that’s kind of when it was a bit tough because it was this kind of slow realisation I guess, as the days kept compounding,” Rouse stated in an interview with Hoopsfix.

“There didn’t seem to be this upward trajectory of things getting better and you kind of realise, ‘oh, I’m probably not going to be able to return’.

“It took time to accept, but I began to understand the risks of trying to return.

“Even if a medical professional said I could, and if I magically became symptom free, you’re always putting yourself at that risk of it happening again.

“If anything, this experience has made me realise how important health is, and imagining going through a hit again and this rehab that I’ve been going through would be devastating.”

The concern is not just the risk of enduring another concussion, or potentially a more serious injury – it’s the impact on day-to-day life.

From travelling to navigating her surroundings, even holding normal conversations.

“It affects virtually everything at the moment,” explained Rouse. “It’s such a roller-coaster – that’s the hard thing with concussions.

“Some days I can manage travelling pretty fine, and some days I can get very sick, and it spikes my headache symptoms.

“But that’s the other thing is that you kind of need to expose yourself to it as well.

“I think exercise has been the biggest thing really, because obviously as an athlete – and personally someone who absolutely loves training – having that taken away is very tough.”

Head injuries have become increasingly prominent in recent years, particularly across sports, and Rouse hopes that by sharing her experience, she can help raise awareness on the topic and the subsequent impact.

“It’s hard because it’s such a hidden injury,” she said.

“Even after I had my first few, you don’t realise just how big of an injury it is.

“It affects so many more different areas of your life than I think people realise.

“The knock on impact of getting more concussions affects you in so many different areas of your life. Having your sport taken away from you is one thing, but you’re also trying to process that whilst your brain isn’t very good at processing it.”

Rouse was a late bloomer in basketball; progressing through the Oaklands programme, and becoming a starter in the WBBL as a teenager.

Following a year at Leicester Riders, Rouse made the decision to head to Canada for college to continue her development.

The now-24-year-old received invitations to Senior national team training camps, and earned multiple accolades during her time with Calgary Dinos – being named to the Canada West All-Rookie Team in Year 1, and the Canada West All-First Team in Year 2.

And, on a week when the latest GB Senior squad has been announced, Rouse could well have been in contention for further recognition had it not been for the concussion issues that halted her progression.

Sadly, those international dreams may now remain unfulfilled.

“I really wanted to play for the Great Britain Senior team,” reflects Rouse. “It was great to get a little taste of it being involved in the training camps.

“But I also feel like before I got injured, I was playing the best basketball of my career, and I felt like I’d only just touched the surface.

“I wasn’t really on the scene as a junior and then developed quite a lot later on. So, I think I always kind of wanted to come back and represent Great Britain and then play in Europe, so I could get to travel and meet amazing people.”

Rouse even mused upon the idea of making a return to Oaklands where it all began, to complete a full-circle moment.

What comes next, however, is still largely unknown.

The extent of her ongoing symptoms were highlighted when searching for a job, but Rouse remains optimistic about embarking on new ventures.

“I went through a lot of interview processes, and really enjoyed it, but I ended up not being able to take anything because of my health,” she said.

“You lose the purpose and routine of basketball, so you want to fit in with an exciting job or something new, but I realised I’m not quite able to do that yet.

“But by sharing my story online, it’s helped me connect with people all over the world, growing my network and creating opportunities in itself.

“I like creating my own thing, I built this Amazon KDP business while I was in Canada, publishing activity books, and I want to just keep building connections and see what the future holds.”

And a return to basketball?

While it’s not likely to happen on the court, Rouse isn’t ready for a complete break from the game and hopes to give back when the time is right.

“I think I will be back at some point,” concludes Rouse. “It’s very health dependent.

“I would love to have been back around Oaklands already, helping out on coaching, but my head can’t handle being in a gym with the bouncing balls, the stimulus of people and the lights and stuff.

“I’m not saying that I’m leaving basketball behind. I would love to be involved again in the future, whether that’s through coaching or simply finding another way to be part of the game.”

There is an undeniable sense of what might have been, but there are things bigger than the game. For Rouse, ‘health is wealth’ has never felt more fitting.