During an April practice defensive drill, San José State women’s soccer defender Isabella “Izzy” Shallou-Enes planted her right knee and heard a grinding sound coming out of her lower leg.
The diagnosis: a torn ACL that would keep her out for the entirety of her 2023 senior season.
“When I looked at my knee after 5 minutes, I was like ‘Oh it might be fine,’ ” Shallou-Enes said. “But then our trainer brought out some crutches. I was so hopeful that it was going to be something else. I just broke down when I found out it was my ACL.”
The shock of missing a whole season ate at Shallou-Enes, but she felt confident that she could get through it. She believed that her faith would get her through the dark times of her injury.
“I trust in someone bigger than anything I can experience and know that he is using this every step of the way,” Shallou-Enes posted on her Instagram after her injury.
Shallou-Enes said she used a lot of prayers and incorporated faith in her injury recovery.
“I’m not a patient person, but praying for patience and asking for god to help me with every tool I can is a big thing for me,” she said.
Shallou-Enes grew up in Turlock, Calif. where she practiced Catholicism. But over the last year and a half, she has converted to Christianity.
“God knows more than I could ever know more than he knows my heart, he knows what's going to happen, and he will use every situation,” Shallou-Enes said.
Since coming to SJSU, Shallou-Enes has attended WestGate Christian Church in South San José.
“So (God) used that experience, to grow me spiritually and just grow my relationships with other people because I did have to reach out and I did have to trust in other people,” she said.
Luckily for Isabelle, she had a support team just a block away from campus in an organization named Called Up.
Founded by Clay Elliot, the organization provided comfort to student athletes of any religion with weekly dinners according to its website.
“I've been a part of (Called Up) since my freshman year here, and just seeing all the different people who come in and out with injuries ... we've got to pray over them and share their story,” Shallou-Enes said.
Elliot, who was once a student athlete himself playing baseball at Liberty University, made it to Double-A after being drafted by the Atlanta Braves in 1976.
After meeting at the beginning of Shallou-Enes’ time at SJSU, Elliot said she jumped into Called Up right away.
“She's one of our main leaders right now. She has been for a couple of years,” he said.
When Elliot heard about the news he said he was bummed to hear about Izzy's injury but couldn’t see any negative changes in her attitude.
“I get the athletic world and when I see a kid go down with injury I know their world is rocked,” Elliot said. “I want to be there to encourage them to come alongside them.”
Despite her injury Shallou-Enes continued her daily routine by continuing to attend Called Up weekly dinners and representative meetings on Sunday nights.
“She comes bubbling in on her crutches in the beginning and she doesn’t allow the injury to prevent her from being a part of it,” Elliot said
Even in recovery, Shallou-Enes is still making sure to be present at games and practice.
“Izzy has decided to do more than stay engaged to elevate her game by doing all she can to come alongside the team,” Elliot said. “That’s pretty rare. She’s a special young lady and I’m proud of her.”
SJSU junior defender Carly Burns has been one of Shallou-Enes’s closest friends since joining the team. Both attend Called Up on a regular basis and are open about their faith.
Burns said Shallou-Enes just needs to be patient through her recovery process.
“God has a greater plan for things and even though she might not understand it right now,” Burns said. “I’m grateful to god that I get to play another year with her.”
