Charlotte North's U.S. Coaches, Teammates Eager to Watch Her Comeback

Kobe Bryant tore his Achilles on April 12, 2013, late in the fourth quarter of a game against the Golden State Warriors. Despite being 34, many still considered him to be at his peak as one of the top players in the NBA.

Charlotte North tore her Achilles on June 6, 2026, late in the fourth quarter of a game against the California Palms. At 26 years old, North is still very much at her peak. She’s still the face of the women’s game, and probably of the sport in general.

Ever the competitor, Bryant worked his way back and returned to the Los Angeles Lakers after about eight months — somewhat ahead of the typical recovery timeline for an Achilles rupture.

Also a fierce competitor, North has since channeled Bryant in the very early stages of her recovery. Pop over to her Instagram, and each of her posts since the injury includes a screenshot or reference to arguably the greatest competitor in sports history.

It’s not a bad athlete to use as inspiration. North herself is an inspiration to many and has transcended the sport as her star has risen.

At the time of the injury, she was just two days away from beginning training camp at USA Lacrosse headquarters in Sparks, Md., with the U.S. Women’s National Team in one of its final stages of preparation for the World Lacrosse Women’s Championship in Tokyo in late-July. Instead of joining her teammates at camp that Monday, she got surgery instead.

The road to recovery had officially started.

“She’s the spirit of the team,” said U.S. head coach Acacia Walker-Weinstein, who also coached North at Boston College. “Her heart is intertwined in everything we do and every step we take. She’s so embedded in the culture of this team.”

 

 

 

 

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In a poignant pre-camp address to the team, Walker-Weinstein spoke about filling the space North would otherwise occupy. She acknowledged the difficulty of such a task, too. Lacrosse fans see North on their screens and gravitate toward the player for her stick skills and rocket-fueled shot. Teammates gravitate toward her for other reasons.

“There’s a missing piece. She’s one of one,” said U.S. goalie Shea Dolce, who saw North’s injury firsthand as the goalie for the WLL’s Boston Guard. “We’ve all been saying that. She’s a leader in everything that she does. She’s the best lacrosse player in the world, but what’s better about her is that she’s an even better person. She’s the best teammate I’ve ever had.”

All those teammates over the years flooded North’s Instagram comments in her first post after sustaining the injury.

“No one is ready for this comeback [fire emoji],” Chloe Humphrey said.

“Strongest person there is. Inspired by you always,” Anna Brandt said.

“Absolute badass, you’ll be back in no time!!” Brigid Duffy said.

There are 650-plus more comments from fans, peers, executives and anyone else even tangentially related to lacrosse. That’s how big Charlotte North is.

And that’s why everyone is eagerly awaiting the comeback.

“She’s going to be back, and I can’t wait to see the moment she returns,” Walker-Weinstein said at the conclusion of a training camp she admitted felt “odd” without her star attacker present.

It most certainly felt odd for North, too, though she continued being the team’s hype woman from home. There she was, in every comment section, celebrating the accomplishment of a team that has its sights set on gold in Tokyo.

North is a difference-maker on the field, but a deep U.S. offense coordinated by Kayla Treanor should be able to weather the storm. With Humphrey, Sam Apuzzo, Kenzie Kent, Emma LoPinto, Izzy Scane and Madison Taylor on the attack and a slew of midfielders well-versed in scoring, the U.S. is still well-equipped for a long run in the tournament.

“I’m heartbroken to not be out on the field with my best friends, but that doesn’t change anything,” North said. “These are not only the best players in the world, but the best people — teammates and coaches — who have been and continue to work around the clock with one goal in mind. I will do anything my teammates need of me to get the job done. I love them with all my heart. Go USA."

That leaves North focusing solely on recovery with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics inching closer by the day. The Olympics are scheduled for July 14-28, meaning North has two full years from now until then to get back to her usual self.

It’s usually somewhere between 18-24 months when an elite athlete regains full explosiveness after an Achilles injury. Perfect timing.

But nobody would be surprised if North beat every projection and returned to top form sooner. As fierce as they come, North’s comeback story is already being written in real time. For her, the work began the moment the injury occurred.

“Although this is the last thing we would ever want to happen, if there is anybody who can take it, run with it, and bounce back from it, it’s Charlotte,” Dolce said.