“When I went to go and kick the ball, I knew that something felt wrong,” Himmelfarb said.

Senior varsity soccer teammate and fellow center back, Will D’Alonzo recalls exactly what he saw during that first game, as Himmelfarb was up against a rival player.

     “He landed wrong on his foot as he was trying to jab and he tweaked his hip, he instantly went down and I went over to him, and I asked him about it because I thought it was his ankle,” D’Alonzo said. “He said he couldn’t move which scared the crap out of me, he was down for a while so I knew something was wrong.”

     Himmelfarb had to leave the soccer camp that first night because of his hip injury and was on crutches the next day. Himmelfarb was not able to play for six weeks due to his fractured hip, which caused him to be out for the first six games of the season.

     “I’ve never seen anyone or known of anyone to injure their hip so it was all new to me, he couldn’t walk right,” D’Alonzo said. “The first few weeks he was walking funny, his hip was displaced like half an inch.”

     Although Himmelfarb has been out, he still went to every Rose soccer practice and game while also attending Young’s Physical Therapy sessions to recover quickly. 

     “It was hard not playing; I love it,” Himmelfarb said. “I missed the environment and playing with my teammates.”

      While it was hard for Himmelfarb not to play, he found support from his family, teammates and coaches, specifically from his mom and Rose varsity soccer coach, Joey McAlduff.

     “My coach has been there for me since the beginning,” Himmelfarb said. “I’ve had Coach Joe as my coach since I was 2 years old; he’s been there for me through Future Stars and all through Pitt Greenville Soccer Association, and now Rose.”

     The support from Himmelfarb’s coach, family, and teammates was just what was needed for him to make his comeback. 

     “It has definitely been hard getting back into it after being out,” Himmelfarb said.

     On Sept. 8, Himmelfarb was able to play in his first Rose soccer game against Rocky Mount, helping bring the team to a 3-1 victory.

     “I remember seeing him come in[to that game] and thinking, ‘Okay let's see how Himmelfarb does,’ and he was pretty aggressive; I was impressed,” D’Alonzo said. “I would not have been that aggressive going in after an injury like that, especially when I was a freshman.”

     D’Alonzo was on varsity his freshman year, like Himmelfarb, and hopes to be a mentor to him this year just like D’Alonzo had during his freshman year.

     “My freshman year I had a lot of guidance from Carson Worthington, who was a senior that year,” D’Alonzo said. “Watching him play and studying what he did helped me learn a lot, and I try to be like that for Himmelfarb.”

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