University of Minnesota Athletics
Budish Bouncing Back From Injury
5/25/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
GS: Well, how is the knee?
ZB: It feels great. I am now six months out of surgery. We started spring workouts two weeks after the end of the season and I did everything that everyone else was doing. Spring workouts were pretty tough. We had a couple of weeks off and now just started the summer workouts and I am cleared for all the weight lifting. I started skating in March but have not been cleared for full contact yet. We have been playing three-on-three and obviously there is no contact out there but it feels fine twisting, turning, stopping and skating backwards. I am very happy with it.
GS: Obviously, you have to build strength back up in your legs, but do your hands have to get readjusted to playing as well?
ZB: My hands were pretty rusty the first couple of times out. I would try to stickhandle and the puck would go in the corner. I began skating in March, so but my hands feel pretty good now. It will be a matter of getting comfortable out there with contact and going 100 percent with speed, rather than 85 or 90 percent which is what most of the guys have been going at this spring.
GS: When do you think you will be cleared for contact?
ZB: Hopefully the next time I see the doctor, which will be next week or the week after.
GS: What was the hardest thing physically to do in your rehab?
ZB: I always tell people the first six weeks after ACL surgery is the worst because your quad is about half the size of your other one. Your range of motion is limited and you can really not bend it that far. You cannot do a lot of stuff physically and you feel like you are getting out of shape pretty fast. Once you get to about 12 weeks is when you can start doing some running and biking and get back into the rhythm of things. At around four months you are pretty much free to do most stuff.
GS: You have three older brothers. How did they treat you after the accident?
ZB: A couple of them visited me in hospital and they also visited me a couple of days later. They obviously knew I was down and they brought me a little care package. They cheered me up and have been very supportive. So have my parents, friends and family and I cannot thank them enough.
GS: What kind of exercises are you doing in the weight room right now?
ZB: Squats, bunch of jumping, lunges, bench press and a little bit of running at the end of a workout. We are doing some stair sprints and bike workouts as well. It has felt great all spring and our spring workouts were pretty tough. Some of the guys who were healthy were struggling to get through it, so it was good for me to get though that and build some confidence and to start preparing for next season.
GS: You saw every game last year after your injury. What did you see from the team?
ZB: I thought we got better as the year went on. We had a young team with 10 freshmen, but I saw those guys grow a lot during the season and that is something to look forward to next year. We finished 5-0-2 and then something happened between that and the Alaska series and our season ended a lot earlier than expected. We expect more out of ourselves in the future. We are still going to have a young team next year, with a lot of sophomores and freshmen. It will be the job of the seniors and juniors to lead and show them the way.
GS: How anxious are you to pull the Minnesota jersey on and play in a real game again?
ZB: I can't wait. I have been counting down since I had surgery. I cannot wait for practices to start in September and then for Oct. 7 when we play Sacred Heart. I will be ready to go.
GS: A lot of people want to know if you are riding the moped again?
ZB: No, I have been walking and driving around campus now.
GS: What are your plans for the summer?
ZB: I am taking a couple of classes this summer. I am in a class with Taylor Matson right now. I have a few classes that start in a couple of weeks and we have team workouts. A lot of the pro guys come back so hopefully we will be able to skate with them again like we have in the past. I am just trying to get ready for next season.
