Overcoming It All
Senior Duncan Diaz exemplifies the cliché, “When the going gets tough, the though get going.” Everyone can say the phrase, but Diaz has had to live it throughout his entire high school athletic career.
Diaz has played more than one sport at Catholic High. He said, “I played football, but got injured sophomore and junior year. I have also played basketball all four years. Well, sophomore year I broke two bones in my ankle playing football. Then junior year, I injured my PCL on my right knee, also playing football. Last year in basketball I tore my left ACL. This year I tore my right ACL and had a tear in my meniscus.”
Diaz said, “What went through my mind the first time I tore my ACL was how much it hurt and I thought about how hard I had worked to come back from my PCL and I didn’t know immediately that I had torn my ACL, but I knew something was very wrong. The second time I tore my ACL, I was very emotional.
As soon as it happened, I immediately knew I had torn it because it felt the exact same. I remember crying and just being angry once I got back into the locker room. I also remember throwing everything I could get my hands on.”
These injuries have hit Diaz extremely hard. “As a 17 year-old kid, it is the hardest thing that I have had to overcome. I’m sure I will have to overcome more, but as of now it is the hardest.” Diaz has had a lot of support from people around him. “Man, it’s a mindset I put myself through not to give up. I’m not going to lie, there are a lot of dark days, but I just take one day at a time and something I have learned is that you aren’t alone. I have been blessed with a lot of people that care about me and help me get back. My brothers at Catholic have been with me 100 percent. Specifically, my actual brother, Scott. The bond we share I think is more than blood and he has been with me through thick and thin and I couldn’t ask for a better brother.”
Junior John Chase said, “ I have tried to be there for Duncan in whatever he needs. He’s probably one of the strongest guys I know and a very close friend, but even more than that he is my brother.”
Through all the injuries Diaz plans on continuing is athletic career. “I am going to play again. I was being recruited by a lot of D3 colleges and plan on playing basketball at one of them.”
Junior Roger Roe said, “ I am really amazed how he can come back from these injuries and I have personally never seen him without a smile on his face. I just try to be there for him because I know he would do the same for me. He is a great basketball player and I am personally proud to call him my teammate and also my Catholic High brother.”
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