What really happens when an athlete is forced away from the game they love?
Liam Callahan, Syracuse University men's soccer team captain, faced one of the greatest challenges of his life this year heading into the final season of his injury-riddled career.
Callahan [9] transferred to SU after a rough freshman year at Villanova where he broke his leg and ankle playing. During his sophomore year, he and his teammates built a potent defense with an ACC-leading 12 shutouts.
As a junior, Callahan proved himself a weapon on the other end of the field becoming one of the conference's top assist leaders. The Amherst, N.Y., native was named captain and helped his team to the 2015 Final Four [10] in Kansas City.
During the tournament's opening game, Callahan was tackled in the first half and broke his foot. The game ended 0-0, and Syracuse lost to Clemson on penalty kicks.
After two months of rehabilitating his foot, on the eve of being cleared to resume playing, a weightlifting accident left Callahan with a dislocated shoulder and torn labrum. With an expected recovery time of six months and just six months left before his season was set to begin, Callahan was challenged, physically, emotionally and mentally.
