Around January 1, varsity soccer player Luis Negrete tore his right Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) when he was hit in the side of the knee and heard it crack while playing indoor soccer at Vetta Sports Complex. This caused him to miss his last high school season of soccer.

“I just couldn’t believe that I had just tore my ACL,” Negrete said. “I was in shock at the moment, and had so much adrenaline that it didn’t hurt that much. I just knew that I wasn’t going to be able to play my last high school season.”

The recovery process for a torn ACL is a long one. It takes usually takes six months to be pain free and have sufficient leg strength back. Just because you’re pain free and have your  strength back doesn’t mean you will be cleared to play again. It takes about three to four more months to actually be cleared to play soccer again because of the physical contact of the sport.

“I was playing soccer at the age of three, and gave him the choice to play it or not,” mother Silvia Negrete said. “He ended up falling in love with soccer at the age of four and still loves it. Even though he is hurt right now, that doesn’t stop him from going to all the games and cheering on his team.”

The varsity team is like family to Negrete. The team was very supportive when Negrete told them when he was going to be missing his last season of high school. Even though Negrete will not be playing, he still feels like he’s apart of team because he cheers on his teammates and gives the players key pointers on what they should do better when they go back on the field.

“I’m upset that Negrete is not playing with us this year because he is my best friend,” Osvaldo Guerrero said, “and it stinks it had to happen our senior season, the year I decided to come back and play for the school. I’m also worried because having surgery is something terrifying, and the recovery part is long and stressful. If you do not do the recovery part the right way then the struggle of getting back on the field will be harder than it already is.”

Even though Negrete isn’t playing, he still has plans for the team. Negrete has been with the team since his sophomore year when he got brought up to varsity. They have not won a district championship since Negrete has been on the team.

“My goal for the season was to help North win a state championship that I believe that we much deserve with amazing program and good coaches,” Negrete said. “I’m really confident that this year is the team’s year. If the team can get motivation to win we will win  a state championship, no doubt.”

See pictures from Negrete’s surgery here (Warning: images may be graphic to some.)