Seven weeks ago, Emma was lying in a hospital bed confronted with the option of recovering in bed for three months, or, to have spinal surgery that carried a risk of leaving her paralysed.

Emma had broken a vertebra in the base of her neck and six vertebrae in her thoracic spine. It all happened so fast, so out of Emma’s control and in an instant her lifestyle completely changed.

Momentum had been in Emma’s favour. Finally the 17-year-old was building recognition and sponsorship she was worked so hard to earn on the Australian motocross scene. Emma is preparing to finish year 12 at Mount Clear College and the plan was to launch on to to world championship circuit next year once she graduated.

Emma was flying ahead in a regional competition, competing in the men’s class. Out in the lead, Emma’s bike was knocked from behind, in a blind spot, and she went flying through the air and landed hard on her upper back.

Air-lifted to the Royal Melbourne Hospital, Emma was stabilised then had surgery to insert two rods and 10 screws that would hold her spine together. A physiotherapist had to teach her how to get out of bed and how to walk again. 

It was by co-incidence Emma was cleared to remove her neck brace the day of the school dance this week. Not that it bothered her greatly.

Injury failed to dent Emma’s pragmatic determination and discipline. Rather, it has served up an unexpected new challenge.

Discipline has been pivotal to Emma’s success and rise through Australian motocross ranks.

She ate really clean. Missing parties on competition weekends was never a big deal. Neither was 5am starts to get riding or training. School was structured to fit training under Mount Clear College’s sports program and Emma had a firm timetable of strength and cardio conditioning. The strength to lift a 110-kilogram bike out of the mud, usually sliding down a hill, had been essential in Emma’s world.

Without competition and training – at least the next 12 months – all that motivation and drive suddenly stopped.

“I miss riding big time. It’s not like I’m retired from the sport and can do what I want. I can’t run around in a different sport. I’ve got all this time now and my metabolism’s changed,” Emma said. “I was so used to living one way and then it became another.

“It’s hard because it was not my mistake. I can’t think next time I’ll change this or that or ride any different. And it’s hard mentally because I was on such a high.”

The accident and immediate aftermath terrified Emma. She said doctors were polite but quite intense with their rapid delivery and facts on her condition. Initially, Emma had thought she had fractured one vertebra and mentally was getting her head around recovery strategies, only to learn she had broken all through her upper spine.

To get back to world championship tour contention, Emma will need at least two years to pick up where she left off – one year out completely and, if cleared, another to rebuild her Australian ranking. That is, only if she can regain or better the same speed and strength with which she was riding.

“There is a mighty big fear factor,” Emma said. “Not just a racing fear factor but knowing you might ride well but you never know exactly what others are doing. You have no control of the situation.”

At the moment, Emma cannot event walk through a bustling school yard in case she gets bumped. Emma usually leaves before the bell for classes and friends have quickly taken up protective chaperoning duties. She remains good humoured about the situation and attention.

And she has a plan to keep channelling her passion into her sport. Once Emma turns 18, she can officially obtain a coaching license that will allow her greater access to mentor juniors and keep developing women’s motocross.

Emma said her sponsor’s had been great about helping her find and build a coaching brand, a venture she had gradually been pursuing but one she now had more time to delve into while she recovers. Emma guarantees she will never be far from a track.