The fan favorite fall sport, football, is welcoming back its members for a successful season on all accounts. One member in particular, multi-sport athlete Caden Steele (‘26), is returning to the varsity team from a knee injury that ended his 2024 season early. Steele has come a long way on the road to recovery from the severity of the injury.
“[When the injury happened] We were at the five-yard line going into the end zone, I broke one tackle, planted off my left foot, and my MCL gave out. Then I got hit. I got rolled up on and then my ACL gave out, taking a little bit of my meniscus and kneecap with it,” Steele said.
Steele then went through surgery and months of weekly PT to heal his injuries. He was out for the remainder of the 2024 season and the entirety of the 2025 track season.
“It usually takes around 12 months for you to heal after an ACL reconstruction, and I was back in about six and a half months,” Steele said.
His teammates felt his absence on the field for the remainder of that season.
“They were obviously pretty upset, but they were supportive,” Steele said. “They knew they still had a job to get done, so they filled the position like they should have, and kept going.”
Returning to the field, Steele did end up making a position change himself: from running back to defense. He is feeling optimistic about this season as well as his injury progress.
“I'm really excited about starting 3-0, that's pretty good. Last time we did that was the state championship team, so it's something to remind us why we're doing what we're doing. Injuries aren’t really holding me back or anything, so it's nice,” Steele said.
While high school sports are a soon-to-be memory for the senior, he has begun looking at colleges. His injury has shifted his priorities and focus for the future, knocking college sports off the radar.
“I'm looking to go to [University of] Michigan, and I don't see myself being able to play sports there,” Steele said, “If I got the opportunity there, I would, but I just don't see that happening. I'd rather pursue a higher education.”
Just as all seniors, their seasons come to an end as their futures begin. To Steele, his injury was not so much a setback as a learning opportunity, and looking back, it taught him many things that will go on to benefit his future in a variety of ways.
“Being able to persistently do everything you have to at home and in PT helps anybody get back faster, and just having the right mindset and the right support system,” Steele said.
