It is senior year for Daniel Robinson ’24, and this is his last chance to show scouts and colleges his full potential as a multi-sport athlete. Sadly, this is all taken away due to an ACL injury during football pre-season. This injury has affected Robinson in many ways, both negatively and positively.
It was an ordinary summer day for Robinson. He woke up in the morning, got ready for football conditioning and headed out. What Robinson didn’t know was that his whole senior year was about to change.
During practice, Robinson’s teammate ran headfirst into his knee while trying to tackle him. This resulted in him tearing his ACL and meniscus. Unfortunately, this injury led to him being out for the rest of the football season and even the beginning of basketball season.
When asked how this injury affected his career, he explained how it was more mental than physical. How something you worked so hard for can just get taken away from you in the blink of an eye. This especially affected Robinson because it was his last year and last chance to prove his worth.
“But I say a bit more of a mental struggle because you got to let your teammates play the sport that you love. And you know, you wake up. Your whole life is different,” Robinson said.
What opened his eyes the most was that he wasn’t even supposed to be participating in that drill, but his coach decided he should join. That small decision changed everything for him.
“My coach, even before the play happened, told me, ‘You’re out the drill.’ But then was like, ‘Actually, come back.’ That split decision there. That changed everything,” he said.
After the injury, Robinson began to notice the little things more. He realized that he was going to have to wake up every day and go to the sport he loves playing but never get to play it anymore. He realized that he wouldn’t have another chance to put on his uniform; he realized that he wouldn’t be able to run through the banner with his teammates anymore. He realized he wouldn’t even get just one more tackle. But still, after all of this, Robinson still manages to look forward and appreciate the smaller things.
However, Robinson isn’t letting this injury get the better of him, although he had planned to get scouted during football season and had many other plans for basketball. He will still be able to return to track, and even better than before.
Until track season approaches, Robinson stays with his teammates on the sidelines, getting them hyped up and being there for them as a role model and as someone for them to look up to. This injury has also had some other positive impacts on Robinson as well. He has started to shift his focus more on academics, planning to get scholarships for his school efforts.
If this injury has taught anything to Robinson, it is to appreciate the smaller things in life because nothing is promised, and when something happens, it may be hard at first, but it’s all part of the game.
