John Elko admits his injury scared him.
He had good reason to feel that way.
A lineman at Holy Cross, Elko, suffered a concussion two years ago. The effects of that set him back and threatened his playing career. He battled plenty of obstacles and coped with the possibility he might never play football again.
After more than a year of recovery, the two-way player received clearance. He is back and is thrilled.
“I am more excited than I have ever been,” Elko said. “I am ready to get back at it. I appreciate every moment. Even at practice, I cherish every play.”
Halfway through his sophomore season, Elko left a game with a concussion.
He had awful headaches. Reading became a challenge.
“There was a lot of physical therapy,” Elko said. “I was driving to Delaware four to five times a week to receive therapy at a hospital there. It was a little bit scary. I didn’t know if I was ever going to get back to normal.”
With his health being the main priority, the hope of playing football became dim.
Elko sat out his junior year.
“That was really tough,” Elko said. “I supported the team from the sidelines because I love those guys. I put in work, lifted, and did some drills. But the doctors said I might never play again.”
Remarkably, Elko, a 6-foot-1, 220-pound tackle and defensive end, fully recovered. He has no side effects, and he is clear.
“It felt like the gates opened for me,” Elko said. “It was beautiful. It was really a great moment.”
Having Elko back is reason enough for excitement within the Holy Cross program.
Add in that there are a lot of experienced and talented players who are also on the roster, and the Crusaders believe they can have success in the Lackawanna Football Conference Division III.
Holy Cross has almost the entire starting offense back.
Quarterback Josh Lentowski threw for 272 yards and three touchdowns; running…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/gameface-2024-holy-cross-crusaders-000100002.html
Author : The Times-Tribune, Scranton, Pa.
Publish date : 2024-08-19 00:01:00
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