They faced the dreaded injury that sidelines even the strongest athletes, the ACL tear. Fortunately, this year, football and volleyball players Dylan Cagle, Ava Ybarra, and Deyjah Horton didn’t just return; they came back stronger, faster, and even more determined than ever. For many different athletes, tearing an ACL can feel like the end of the road. With months of rehab, uncertainty, and the fear of never playing the same again. Our eagles have shattered those doubts this season and have come back stronger than ever.
Dylan Cagle shares his experience and how he came back from it:
EE: How does it feel to be back on the field with your teammates again?
DC: It feels amazing. I miss my boys a lot, so it’s a really great feeling to have again, being with them.
EE: What was the most challenging part of your physical rehab process?
DC: I think just staying my mind focused and my heart going, and just trying to get through everything that I had to go through.
EE: What was your motivation during your recovery process?
My two biggest things were my family and college ball. They gave me the support that I needed and pushed me through everything that I knew I could get through, and my trying to make it out and make it big for this school definitely gave me a lot of motivation.
EE: What did you learn about yourself as an athlete while you were away from the field?
I think the biggest thing I took out of it was that football can’t be your identity. It can be what people know you as, but not who you should be. I think you have to realize that you’re not just an athlete, that you’re also a human, and there’s a lot more to life than just a ball.
Since Dylan has returned, our football team has come back from the losses of last year, leading his team to victory in four consecutive games in a row. Even our very own Coach Saxe spoke about Dylan Cagle and the impact he had on the team, and how he felt about Dylan’s injury.
EE: What were your thoughts when Dylan went out last season?
Saxe: Anytime any of your players go out, it’s heartbreaking, especially with a season-ending injury. Dylan, in particular, when it happened against Northeast last year, he kind of came off wobbling, and he said, I felt something pop. Having had an ACL injury myself, my heart went out to him because I knew he was going to be done for the year, and just seeing how hard he worked in the off-season.
EE: What impact does Dylan have on the team as a player and a teammate?
Saxe: As a player, he’s going to get you your yards after contact. He’s going to help you alleviate that plus one by breaking that tackle; he holds them accountable, and the offensive line, the quarterback, even the coaches, he brings that presence to practice. As a teammate, he’s leading in the locker room. He’s helping lead some of the off-field stuff. Whether that’s his faith and bringing people towards that, or just in the hallways, in the classrooms, and making sure you guys are just doing right at all times.
Our two volleyball players, Ava Ybarra and Deyjah Horton, also got injured and tore their ACLs in 2024, and they were benched for the rest of the season. This year, they came back, helping lead their team to victory this season. Ava Ybarra shares her personal experience with her injury.
Ava Ybarra: I tore my ACL during our first basketball game of the season. I knew it right away, but tried denying it. After getting MRI results back, my heart shattered. I was devastated, mad at the world, filled with confused emotions. As I went through the recovery process, I can proudly say I was told I would be cleared in December, but I shortened that timeline with hard work and dedication towards my knee and my team. I will say that it wasn’t an easy thing to do; it came with many challenges, mentally and physically. I stayed positive through this process, knowing my team had me, my family, and a huge one was leaning on God. I’ve learnt that the Lord wouldn’t have put me through this if he didn’t think I was strong enough for it. This experience has definitely changed my perspective on work ethic. I believe you should always go 100% no matter what, because you don’t know how fast your athletic ability could be taken from you.
Her personal experience is something a lot of athletes go through, and she was able to share her story to show that you can overcome these injuries and come back stronger than ever. This is what it means to be an athlete. We also talked to Deyjah Horton about her experience and how it affected her as well.
EE: What was the most challenging aspect of your recovery, and how did you overcome it?
DH: “One of the challenges was definitely sitting out for so long, for a year, and I had to watch my team play the sport that I wanted to play so badly; that was the hardest part. How did I overcome it? I just worked really hard with my PT to come back to where I am right now.”
EE: How did you stay motivated and positive throughout the recovery process?
DH: “I definitely stayed positive through my team. My team really helped me, like stay positive, and my mom and dad helped me stay positive, and definitely my coaches.”
We were able to talk to Coach Thomas about her player’s recovery, how she felt at the start of their injury, and how they showed their dedication to wanting to come back for the new school year.
EE: What was your initial reaction when Ava and Deyjah got injured?
Coach Thomas: “My first reaction was to make sure y’all were okay. My second reaction was a little bit of selfishness, because you’re core people on our team, who help us play to the best of our ability.”
EE: In what ways did Ava and Deyjah’s dedication and work ethic contribute to their successful rehabilitation?
Coach Thomas: “Ava showed great dedication all summer, coming to training before, during, and after school to work on her knee and speed up her recovery. She worked closely with Deyjah and her physical therapist, putting in a lot of time in rehab. Thanks to her hard work and the team’s support, she bounced back quickly. Ava’s commitment really shows how serious she is about her recovery.”
Their journeys weren’t easy, filled with pain, doubt, and months of rehab and hard work, but these athletes proved that their ACL injury did not define them. As they continue to shine and help lead their team to victory, these athletes show us that with beliefs, hard work, and a strong heart that even the toughest setbacks can lead to inspiring comebacks.
