High school sports come with highlight reels, bus rides and, unfortunately, a long list of injuries. According to a study by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, football has the highest injury rate among all high school sports. Soccer is a close second, and its most common injuries include concussions, ankle sprains and calf cramps. At Poly, these injuries are treated with the help of student athletic trainers, who shadow and assist Athletic Trainers Rob Mikels and Ritz Tiguila during practices and games. Sophomore Michelle Xu, a student athletic trainer, explained, “The most common injuries include ankle sprains landing from a jump wrong, landing on someone else, twisting it while running or just falling can cause it. It is possible to occur in most sports, and it can take a while to recover from.”
But these textbook injuries have a face, and for Poly’s varsity soccer team, that face usually belongs to senior center back Ian Teigen. Teigen has spent so much time on the turf that the soccer field might start charging him rent, yet, despite numerous injuries, he keeps lacing up his cleats. Teigen shared, “Throughout high school, I’ve had a few injuries as a member of boys soccer. I’ve pulled my hamstring and injured my ankle, all of these came from training or playing in a game.”
To speed up his recovery, Teigen approached rehab with the same focus he brings to practice. He noted, “I made sure to do rehab, watch training sessions, or support the team from the sidelines during games.”
His consistent commitment has not only expedited his healing but has also allowed him to remain engaged in the team’s progress, even when he’s not playing.
Head Coach Dan Sheridan agreed, “Ian has done an excellent job in working with the training staff to improve his ankle strength and perform rehab on his ankle following games.”
Teigen’s commitment exemplifies how a player’s impact is not only measured by the number of goals scored or minutes played but also by their resilience and support for the team.
For Teigen, the challenges of injuries and recovery have extended beyond the physical aspect. Each setback has tested his patience and determination, pushing him to grow in ways that just playing the game would not inspire. “It’s made me stronger mentally and more prepared for adversity,” he reflected.
Sheridan had a similar perspective on Teigen’s attitude: “The ability to get back up and continue to fight to be a part of something greater than yourself is the essence of sports and a lesson I hope we never forget as a society.”
Teigen proves that school sports are about much more than just goals, scores, or wins; true athletics is about bouncing back, sometimes with an icepack in one hand and crutches in the other. Sports are about showing up, cheering on, and finding new ways to lead the team even when you cannot play. For athletes like Teigen, the real victory is getting back up after every single setback.
