Participating in varsity soccer demands not only exceptional skills and teamwork, but also an unwavering commitment to overcoming challenges. One of the most formidable challenges that athletes face is injury. A varsity soccer player's journey is often punctuated by moments of grit and resilience when faced with injury.
Meet Midfielder Senior #11
Andrew Maison.
Andrew tore his ACL just 3 days into Winter basketball tryouts and missed the entire basketball and baseball seasons in 2023. But this 17-year-old is unstoppable. After surgery in January, he juggled his physical therapy appointments with weight room exercises to become healthy enough to play soccer this season.
As a self-proclaimed, "clumsy kid," this isn't his first injury. His first, at the age of 2, was a broken left arm after a dangerous game of hide-and-go-seek. What happened, you ask? He fell off his couch.
Ten years later he broke this same arm after he fell off his bike, spent 3 months in a cast, returned to a plaster-free lifestyle, and 2 week later broke his foot. You could say Andrew has a bit of misfortune, but he never complained when describing these incidents. Instead, he laughed at himself. His positive mental state comes from playing sports; He won't let a broken anything remove him from athletics permanently.
In fact, Andrew has a goal of becoming a Sports Medicine major in college.
There have been many motivational family members, friends, and coaches that have made a difference for Andrew. He said, "My dad, Daniel Maison, pushes me, is hard on me and supports me. Coach Chance, Coach Jackson, and Coach Lount checked up on me often to make sure I am okay." Several of his mentors also relate to Andrew, sharing stories about their own injuries. This perspective comforted Andrew.
Coach Lount named Andrew a Captain of the team for several reasons. He shared, "Andrew's a leader. If teammates need help with a skill or endurance, he works with them. He shows up everyday, not just for himself, but to put in the work to improve the entire team."
