“My hopes and dreams of becoming a professional footballer were crushed by 3 words. Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis.” - Jasmin Springer’s story

When Jasmin Springer was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, medical professionals believed her football career to be over. The constant battle with her own body is a challenge most athletes never have to face. However, after years of resilience, adaptation and determination, she joins Worcester City Women, proving no obstacle is too great. As part of our ‘RISE’ campaign, Jasmin shares her inspirational journey to Worcester City Women FC... 

Jasmin began playing football at the age of 10 and, whilst playing for her school team, her skill began to develop fast. “As I was making a lot of progress quite quickly, my teacher put me forward for some trials with Leeds City Girls,” Jasmin explained. 

“For most of my youth, I enjoyed football, however, there were ups and downs along the way. I sustained a metatarsal fracture, which had me out of football for around six months. 

Football was my only hobby at the time, so being unable to play was extremely difficult.” 

Jasmin couldn’t wait to make a return to playing football, however going back to what she loved doing most came with difficulties...

“Not long after this, I started experiencing pain and swelling in my foot. The next few months consisted of me going back and forth to A&E due to no improvements in the pain and swelling. I wasn’t able to play football, and I was struggling to walk for longer than around 30 minutes. Eventually, I was referred for a CT scan, which confirmed my diagnosis of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis at 13 years old. The diagnosis alone was a lot to take in, but to make things worse, my Rheumatologist told me that expecting to return to football was unrealistic. I had dreamt of playing football professionally and playing for England when I grew up. My hopes and dreams of becoming a professional footballer were crushed by three words. Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis.” 

“What does this mean? Juvenile: Under the age of 16, Idiopathic: “Idiot” Because your immune system is mistaking healthy cells in your joints for foreign cells and attacking them. Arthritis: Inflammation, pain and swelling in the joints.” 

During this difficult time, Jasmin remained strong and positive in the hope that her Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis would go away at sixteen. 

“I thought I’d wake up on my 16th birthday, blow out my candles, and all my pain would be gone in an instant… I’d be able to play football again! You can imagine just how disappointed I was when this didn’t happen, and my diagnosis changed from Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis to Rheumatoid Arthritis. I felt like my youth had been robbed from me, and now I had to come to terms with the fact that it was never going away.” 

Despite this diagnosis, Jasmin began playing football again in college with the help of regular treatment to help with her symptoms. Jasmin was able to play the sport she loved again, be a part of the team and was reunited with her best friend. 

“I finished my first year of college and realised that I could do it. When the second year came around, I wanted to test myself and push myself even further. 

Not only did I play for the college team again, but I also played for Sheffield Wednesday and was training twice a week and playing two games a week. I helped Sheffield Wednesday secure promotion during my time there and also received Manager’s Player of the Season for my college team. After college, I moved to Birmingham to begin my studies at Newman University and hoped to continue playing football during my 3 years there.”  

During her time at university, Jasmin played for the university team until her third year, when she became pregnant with her daughter. Due to the medication Jasmin was taking for her arthritis, there was concern around her pregnancy, and she was identified as high risk. In 2017, Jasmin gave birth to her perfectly healthy daughter. After moving to a new area and the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jasmin began to look for new hobbies to fit around work and motherhood. 

“No matter how much I tried to look into other hobbies and interests, my heart and my mind were telling me to get back into football.”

“I found it extremely difficult to approach clubs or get them on board to give me a chance.  

Getting back into football as an older player with a long-term physical health condition, no experience, a child, and a full-time job can be quite daunting.  I had no idea what teams were out there, and I’d never played football as an adult. So, I contacted an old uni friend that I had played with in my first year and she recommended Walsall Women.”  

In her second season with Walsall Women, Jasmin began experiencing persistent pain and swelling in her right knee. While waiting for an appointment with her Rheumatologist, she would feel pain whilst playing football and participating in any exercises which required her to bend her knees. 

The following season, Jasmin signed for Kidderminster Harriers and eventually got an appointment with the Rheumatologist regarding the pain in her knee.  

“I realised almost immediately that telling the Rheumatologist about the sports and hobbies I participated in regularly caused the Rheumatologist to view me as a patient who’s not struggling with arthritis. Because returning to football as someone who has been diagnosed with arthritis was meant to be unrealistic. I was struggling with day-to-day tasks such as walking up and down stairs, sitting down and standing up, kneeling and bending down.  I know it sounds strange and a little bit unbelievable, but these things were more difficult to manage and caused more pain than playing football did. I was still able to manage training twice a week and games throughout preseason.” 

As the winter months hit, things took a turn for Jasmin as the arthritis pain can feel worse due to changes in barometric pressure, reduced sunlight exposure and reduced blood flow. Jasmin required an immediate appointment with a Rheumatologist, where she underwent an MRI and further tests. At this time, Jasmin went on loan with Coton Green and would train once a week and play matches on a Sunday. She was then invited for a trial with Worcester City Women and was keen to begin a new treatment for her arthritis. Upon contacting her GP, Jasmin was prescribed medication, from which she saw immediate benefits. 

“It was the first time in years I was pain-free! I didn’t even feel like myself anymore, but I was so happy! I had been in constant pain for years, and all of a sudden, I wasn’t.”

“I trialled with Worcester and was over the moon when I signed for them. It felt like the light at the end of a tunnel. I’m grateful to be a part of this team during this process. Being a single mom means that my daughter heavily relies on me. There are times when I have to get things done, regardless of how I feel. This means getting things done even when I’m in pain or when I’m physically and mentally exhausted. I carry this mental resilience into football.” 

“My health condition will always be a part of me, but it will not stop me, and it doesn’t define me.”

In sharing her story, Jasmin hopes to spread awareness around arthritis and also to encourage and inspire others with long-term physical health conditions to continue to pursue sports. She also wants to be a role model for her daughter to look up to as proof that “anything is possible” if it was the case that she too was diagnosed due to arthritis being hereditary in some cases.

You can now buy tickets to see Jasmin in action as Worcester City Women host Lincoln City Women FC at Sixways Stadium on Sunday 27th April, in their final home game of the season.