Glen Toonga opens up: "I’d lie if I said that it’s been easy"

After suffering an Achilles tendon rupture during the Week 1 game against the Mercenaries, Nordic Storm running back Glen Toonga recently shared insights into his ongoing recovery and the team’s progress in an interview with the ELF.

Reflecting on his personal journey since the injury, Toonga admitted: "It’s definitely been a journey. I’d be lying if I said that it’s been easy and it’s been smooth. I’ve learned a lot about what it means to be a leader and still be involved even though the spotlight isn’t on me." 

Finding strength and support

The experience has forced him to reflect deeply: "I think this journey is teaching me a lot about myself and forcing me to look in the mirror and think about who I want to be at the end of all of this." Despite the challenges, Toonga remains optimistic, emphasizing the support he’s received from teammates and colleagues. "It’s been good to see all the support and get the support from teammates and friends and people I’ve met along my football career."

Regarding his day-to-day routine, Toonga revealed that the gym has become his refuge since surgery. "The minute I was able to go out, I’ve spent more or less all my time in the gym. It’s definitely been a safe haven for me, a place where I don’t feel injured or crippled." Alongside workouts, he has kept close to the team, attending practices and games, helping out in any way he can. "Whether that’s practice or games, it’s good to be around the guys and figure out how I can be of use to the team beyond just being able to play."

WATCH THE FULL INJURY UPDATE HERE!

"I've asked myself why"

Mentally, Toonga acknowledged the difficulty of getting along with the injury. "There’s definitely been many times I’ve had to look myself in the mirror and I’ve definitely broken down and asked myself why." To manage his mindset, he has relied heavily on the team’s presence and journaling. "I got ChatGPT to make me a bunch of questions that I can ask myself every day, and they’ve been quite reflective. It allowed me to not have to keep things inside." Having a clear plan for the future also helps: "The aim isn’t to play this season, but the plan is to play next season. Just having a plan puts my mind at ease and puts me in a better place to stay patient and just wait for my time to come again."

"The hope is that Nordic still make the championship"

Looking ahead to the ELF championship, Toonga expressed hope for Nordic Storm’s success but also acknowledged strong competition. "Obviously I have to be biased, right? The hope is that Nordic still make the championship. If you ask me for a non-biased answer, I love what Paris is doing. I think Paris has started right, they’ve gotten better every day." He envisions a compelling final matchup between Nordic Storm and Paris, but also noted: "It’s a long way away. Let’s see how the season goes for us and see how the season plays out for many other teams."

On the team’s performance so far this season, Toonga highlighted consistent improvement. "The most important thing for me and for any team is that every week we’ve gotten better." He emphasized the team’s growing cohesion: "We had a lot of adversity against Poland, and I think that was great for us because that was another opportunity for us to get closer."

"We're far away from our best football"

Execution has improved, and the organization looks stronger as a whole. "Honestly, every one of those guys works hard, they make sacrifices, and you can see on game day that we’re getting better. The scary thing is we’re far away from our best football, but as long as we’re taking those steps, everybody can get better."

As Glen Toonga steadily recovers, his resilience and team spirit remain a vital force for the Nordic Storm. Toonga’s commitment to the team and personal growth signals a promising future both on and off the field.

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