El Capitan High star back on the court after recovering from two knee surgeries
After two knee surgeries, El Capitan High junior Brody Collins is happy to be back on the basketball court playing the sport that he loves.
Twice Collins tore the meniscus ligament in his right knee, sidelining for almost two years. Collins wasn’t able to play his sophomore season this past spring as he rehabbed after his second surgery.
Collins hasn’t just returned to the court, he’s excelling, scoring 20 points per game and averaging six rebounds to help the Gauchos climb to first place in the Central California Conference standings.
The Gauchos are alone in first place in the CCC with a 15-7 record overall and 6-1 in the CCC after Saturday’s 71-26 win over Buhach Colony..
“In the beginning he was a little slower,” said El Capitan coach Adrian Hurtado. “He doesn’t like to hear that when I tell him that, but he’s a 16-year old with two knee surgeries. We give him some time off. We rest him at some practices. He looks like Brody Collins again. He’s picked up where he left off.”
The injuries
The first injury came after his freshman season. School had just shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Collins was working out in a neighbor’s garage.
“She has a gym in her garage,” Collins said. “I was doing a burpee. I went down to do the push-up. When I got up my knee popped and it was locked in place.”
Collins hobbled home and after seeing a doctor in Fresno was told he tore his meniscus ligament and needed surgery. It was a surgery that would require eight months of rehab. He had to wear a knee brace for three months.
“I had to learn to walk again,” Collins said. “It was pretty dang tough. Coming off a great freshman year. I really enjoy basketball and to lose it all.”
Collins had worked his way back and was a few weeks away from the start of his sophomore season when he went up for a layup and landed awkwardly on the same leg.
“He’s the type of kid who’s always bugging to get into the gym,” Hurtado said. “He works his butt off. He was finally comfortable, he was getting his wind back and playing good basketball. Then he goes up for a layup and landed wrong. I could just see the look on his face. He grabbed his knee and walked off. He said, ‘I think I did it again.’”
Collins had tore his meniscus again and needed a second surgery.
This time Collins wasn’t sure he could go through the rehab again. He started questioning whether he wanted to play basketball? Could he live without it?
“I had just got back from a long recovery,” Collins said. “I was still dealing with knee pain. I didn’t know if I could do it again.”
He had long talks with his parents, who both were athletes growing up and both went through lengthy rehabs after knee surgeries.
Eventually he decided basketball was worth the work and pain.
“I’m Christian, I prayed about it,” Collins said. “Was God giving me a sign? I couldn’t have made the decision to keep playing without my parents, friends and the support I have.”
Collins said it motivated him to work hard by coming and watching his teammates play during the spring season. He said he felt engaged with the team and kept him working toward his goal.
The return
Finally this winter season came and he returned to the court. He started slow as the Gauchos limited his minutes early on in the season.
He’s still navigating his way through the best ways to treat his knee and listening to his body. There are days he needs to rest. If the team practices on Monday and Tuesday, plays a game on Wednesday, Collins will sit out practice on Thursday so he can play in a Friday night game.
“It’s definitely been part of the journey to learn how to treat it,” Collins said. “I get home after games and I do ice, heat, ice, heat. I’ll sleep with my knee in a compression sleeve so it doesn’t swell up.”
There’s also the psychological aspect of coming off the injury. He’s still learning to trust he can do everything he used to be able to do on the court.
“You never have to question if that kid is going to play hard,” Hurtado said.
The injuries and the road back have given Collins a different perspective about playing basketball.
“I think the biggest thing now is I have a different view as a player,” he said. “Every time I’m on the court I feel it’s a blessing to be able to do what I love. Before I took it for granted. When it’s a CCC game and we’re playing in front of a crowd, I appreciate it. You don’t know when it’s going to be taken away from you.”
