ACL tear…
A couple of words that make any athlete cringe when said out loud.
For Impact forward Cameron Porter, those two words would change the outlook of his entire season.
After riding on a cloud as the city’s hero with his late equalizer versus Pachuca that pushed the Impact through to the semifinal round of the CONCACAF Champions League on March 3, the former Princeton Tiger came crashing down, both literally and figuratively.
In his first career MLS start at New England a couple of weeks later, his knee buckled underneath him as he landed awkwardly after challenging for a header.
“When the trainers carried me off the field, they asked if I thought I could continue,” explained Porter. “I said no, I knew right away that it was bad.”
The diagnosis of surgery, resulting in 9-12 months of rehab and missing the entire season as a result, could have easily broken his spirit, but the 22-year-old approached his rehab as he did the start of his pro career, with a positive outlook.
“I’ve never been a negative person. I try to keep smiling and look forward. The injury and being bedridden the following days were tough, but as soon as I returned to the group, things felt a little better.”
Come back stronger
Cameron Porter’s work ethic has never been a question mark.
Billed as a project by experts at the MLS Combine, despite his 15 goals in 17 games for Princeton last year, IMFC’s 2015 third round SuperDraft pick came into camp with no guarantees.
Yet, he impressed the coaching staff enough to earn a contract.
Then, his hard work in training earned him some minutes at the start of the season, which translated into a stoppage time goal and one of the biggest moments in club history.
And although the emotions on the field went from the highest peak to the lowest valley, Porter’s attitude remains even keel.
“From the moment following my surgery, I said that I was going to have a good attitude about this and work hard to come back even stronger.”
Rehab ritual
The Centerville, Ohio native now spends around five hours a day just rehabbing his left knee, and despite seeing his face grimace in pain as he goes through each exercise, his attitude remains light and positive.
“I’m feeling really good now, especially being able to get up and walk around. That brings some normality to your day-to-day and quality of life. When you lose it, you don’t realize how much you need it.”
After playing two hours of soccer every day, the sport he loves, he’s now forced to go through some excruciating moments in rehab. To keep his celebrated affirmative attitude, he focuses on the end goal instead of his existing situation.
“It’s important to remember what you are working towards,” he explained. “You look at all those moments you had before you got hurt and you remember that’s where you want to be. The more you put in here and the earlier you do it, the more you’ll get out.”
Rehab routine
Right now, his day begins at 7:45am. After biking to the training centre, the trainers put some heat on the knee and work it out for 30 minutes. Then he bikes for 30 minutes, followed by three hours of rehabilitation exercises.
“Often, you’re the first one in and the last one out, and you’re not doing anything nearly as fun as playing soccer,” he said jokingly.
Stretching is a key component to his workouts at this stage, as his new ligaments are very tight, like a “cold rubber band,” he explained. “The body is trying to protect the part that’s been injured, so you have to condition yourself day-to-day to get the knee back to where it was.”
Work hard to play hard
Just as he did in spring training, Porter continues to impress with his hard work and great attitude.
“It’s easy with him because whatever you tell him, he’s going to do 10 times more,” boasted head coach Frank Klopas.
For Porter, giving 10 times more than required is what’s always required, which explains all the early success he’s had and consequently, his outlook keeps him on the right path.
“For me, I look at this situation like getting into a fight with your best friend. The surgery is basically like an apology. Things will get worse before it will get better and every day you put in a little bit more, and hopefully by the end of the process, you’ve learned more and become mentally stronger, you become a better person.”
Here’s to him having 10 times the success upon his return.
