When seventh grader Sammy Abiles of Bethlehem, Pa shattered his left foot in November in the finals of the Bethesda Thanksgiving Tournament, the maturing soccer career of one of Lehigh Valley United 97’s most promising players looked as if it would be sidelined indefinitely. When Sammy poke-tackled the ball away from the other team’s forward, Sammy’s foot caught the brunt of the defensive attempt. LVU coach Rob Hurley’s heart sank as he watched one of his own fall to the ground in agonizing pain.
“Sammy's passion for the game of soccer is unequaled,” said Hurley. “He loves the game. I could call a pickup game in a parking lot two hours from his house and Sammy would be on the phone with his friends trying to figure out a way to get there. He lives and breathes the game of soccer.”
But Sammy wouldn’t let anyone write him off. No matter how long the recovery process, he was determined to make it back onto the field and compete for his team. The road would not be easy. Before the injury, Sammy was one of LVU’s top players. He either started as a center-back or center-midfielder. His injury created tremendous challenges for the team. Other players continued to develop and upped their game so that LVU could continue to compete aggressively.
Sammy was on crutches for nearly seven months, all the while cheering on his team from the sidelines. Eventually, Sammy got his sneakers back on and was able to make his first attempt at feeling the soccer ball again.
“It felt weird because I wasn’t use to the shoes,” said Sammy. “I went outside my house and started kicking the ball around. It took a little bit of time for my skills to freshen-up again. I felt so glad when my foot first touched the ball.” A month later, Sammy was beginning to practice with this team again.
“You have to give Sammy a lot of credit,” said Hurley. “He worked hard through his rehab to get to the point where he even had a chance to play in regionals. Of course, it is one thing to be cleared by a physician to play and it’s quite another to do the work necessary to compete at a high level. This is not an easy task for an 11 year old.”
Coach Hurley was amazed by the amount of effort and time Sammy put into getting in shape and regaining his touch. “We gave him progressively more playing time in two tournaments leading up to regionals to help him get ready,” said Hurley. “Ultimately, he was able to make a meaningful contribution to our regional championship. Not bad for being out six months with a serious injury. We are all proud of Sammy.”
It should come as no surprise that soccer is Sammy’s favorite sport. He started watching soccer on television when he was seven, favoring Madrid and Barcelona. Sammy’s favorite subject in school is math and he is committed to getting good grades in school because he knows it will help him reach his goal of playing professionally one day.
Sammy’s advice to other kids that suffer his type of injury on the field is simple and heartfelt. “If you’re playing soccer and you break a leg, you are not out of it. You will come back. It just takes time.” Sammy, your time has come.