ARLINGTON, Texas - In 2013, Kayla Johnson finally got the luck-changing break she always dreamed of when a runner-up finish at the 2013 United States Bowling Congress Team USA Summer Trials earned her a spot on Team USA for 2014.

As it turned out, though, it wasn't the most significant break of her bowling career.

A little more than a year later, in November 2014, Johnson slipped and fell while bowling. She didn't realize the extent of her injuries at the time or the impact that moment would have on the rest of her life.

"When I fell, I didn't know I hurt myself that badly," said Johnson, who sustained a broken right wrist and later found out she also had torn the triangular fibrocartilage complex, a significant piece of cartilage that supports the bones of the wrist. "It was more embarrassment at first, and it wasn't until a few hours later that I found out. It's was a devastating feeling."

Worse for Johnson was the timing. There were some opportunities on the horizon as part of her second consecutive year on Team USA, and it had just been announced that the Professional Women's Bowling Association would re-launch after being dormant for more than a decade.

Johnson, of Washington, Illinois, always had dreamed of a career as a professional bowler, but she entered and graduated from college expecting that likely would not be a possibility. Shortly after graduating from the University of Nebraska, she joined the workforce full-time as a third-shift logistics manager for Caterpillar, Inc., but she still planned to hit some events on the revived PWBA Tour.

After eight weeks in cast for the broken wrist, Johnson underwent surgery in February 2015 to repair the torn TFCC.

The initial expectation was that she wouldn't be ready to bowl competitively until August, but she set an aggressive rehabilitation plan in motion, knowing she had a busy bowling summer ahead. She wanted to be ready in time for an international event in Japan during the first week of July, along with some PWBA events.

Getting back on the lanes meant starting with an eight-pound ball and working her way up to 15 pounds. While the road back to top form wasn't going to be easy, the motivation and opportunities were there. Johnson also had the support of her wife, Dutch bowling standout Danielle van der Meer.

"When I first came back from the surgery, I couldn't hit up on the ball, and the ball actually went straight," said Johnson, who was known primarily as a high-rev power player. "It scared me. I almost wanted to quit. I didn't have the range or flexibility I had before. I couldn't flatten my wrist out to back the ball up for spares. I had to learn to throw a plastic ball for the first time."

Johnson's plan fell into place, but her body wasn't ready for the grueling PWBA formats, which meant nearly 30 games in a weekend.

She grinded through the events she competed in and made some money. She gained experience and even got some sage advice from USBC Hall of Famer Lynda Barnes of Double Oak, Texas, who had a similar wrist surgery a few years earlier.

While it was clear how the injury had affected her physically, it was the mental aspects of the injury that really changed Johnson's perspective on bowling - and life.

"I think the injury ended up being good for me in the sense that it made me realize just how quickly something can go away, even something you've done your whole life," Johnson said. "It also made me realize how much more there is to life."

During her time away from the lanes as a competitor, Johnson had a chance to explore some different aspects of the sport. She became involved as a youth coach and behind the scenes with the local bowling association and proprietors.

Suddenly, while her dreams were on hold, she was enjoying the chance to help others.

Then came another blessing in disguise when Johnson lost her job at Caterpillar due to downsizing. That allowed her to turn her full attention to bowling, which included buying a pro shop.

"The injury gave me a chance to look at the sport differently, especially since I didn't know at what level I'd be able to compete when I got back out there," Johnson said. "Now, I can focus on the shop, my own bowling and being in the bowling industry, which is my passion. Even if someone told me I couldn't be competitive, I'd still want to be involved in the sport. It's amazing to be with the youth bowlers and help them work toward their dreams."

Johnson is far from giving up on her own ambitions, despite a recent setback that sent her under the knife again in September, with a third wrist surgery scheduled for December.

She recently spent a week at the International Training and Research Center, part of the International Bowling Campus in Arlington, Texas, for this year's Team USA women's training camp. Though she didn't throw a single ball, it was an incredible learning experience for her.

Both Team USA head coach Rod Ross and assistant head coach Kim Kearney have noted her growth and improvement during her time on Team USA, despite not being able to actually bowl.

"Though Kayla never threw a ball down the lane, I feel she learned a lot about her game as well as her teammates," Ross said. "She was able to focus on the lane transitions and ball motion of her teammates. She assisted the coaching staff with tracking and statistics for the team during training, which I feel gave her a new view into the game. By participating in all the classroom sessions as well as the on-lane sessions, it enabled her see the game from a player/coach perspective, as opposed to just a player perspective."

The opportunity allowed her to interact with and watch some of the best women bowlers in the world, including two she's always looked up to, USBC Hall of Famer Liz Johnson of Cheektowaga, New York, and six-time major champion Kelly Kulick of Union, New Jersey.

"Though I couldn't bowl, I was so happy to be down there for a week learning from the best players and coaches around," Johnson said. "I was able to watch and learn about their games and what they do to succeed. The biggest thing I learned didn't have to do with throwing balls at all. The experience taught me a lot about communication.

I've always been more internal and haven't communicated as well as a team member, but it gave me a chance to verbalize things and learn from what I was seeing out there. It was an incredible opportunity, even without throwing a single ball."

Johnson had experienced a few disappointing close calls in her career, including graduating from the University of Nebraska in 2012 having never won the NCAA national championship she coveted, despite the statistics being in her favor. The perennial powerhouse now has claimed 10 national titles overall, two of which came in 2009 and 2013, just outside Johnson's time with the Huskers.

Despite the near misses and winding road, Johnson finally is getting the chance to live dreams she never thought could come true. At the same time, she's turned into a role model.

"Never stop chasing your dreams and goals," Johnson said. "I believe everything happens for a reason. This has been a crazy year, but it ended up helping me mentally and to see things differently. I'm not as critical of myself because I'm just happy to be able to compete at all. It's also nice to be able to help people. I can only dream of someday being the pro someone wants to look up to."