Cambridge teen back on the field ten months after serious collision
Posted Sep 23, 2016 12:01:51 AM.
Last Updated Sep 23, 2016 01:11:59 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
It was an obstacle that Chris Haas said he’d overcome but knew it was going to be a long road back.
Last November, Haas was in a serious collision that had him pinned inside his vehicle. After the collision, he found out he needed to have his foot amputated.
The bad news got worse.
He was told he’d likely never play football again. He was determined to overcome that prognosis.
He now wears a prosthetic foot and despite having mobility issues, he started Thursday night’s game at his regular defensive end position for the Jacob Hespeler Hawks.
Chris Haas led his team onto the field for the first time this year.
Haas describes the feeling to play in a full game once again.
“It meant the world to me, to be honest,” says Haas, “it’s just one of my passion’s and I was amazed at myself to get back at it after ten months of rehab.”
Head coach of the Jacob Hespeler Hawks, Greg White tells 570 News just how inspiring of a person Chris has become.
“I think all the guys in the locker room are pretty inspired by Chris,” says White, “as coaches we just have so much respect for him. We’re just happy to see it happen, to see him run out of the tunnel that the leadership students made was pretty emotional and to see him out there and start for us was awesome.”
Haas worked for ten months to try and get back on the field and faced many challenges along the way.
White adds Chris came back to school solely focused on getting his strength back for the football season.
“Where I really tip my hat to Chris is the first day he was back in school, he was back in the weight room and from day one he said he was going to be back out on the field. It’s been a lot of hard work.”
There has been a few adjustments Haas has had to make along the way. White says, the adjustments have been minor.
“He takes his time warming up and in practice,” says White, “he was gung-ho to get back into contact this year but there isn’t too many adjustments, he’s on the fly.”
Haas had many family members at the game for his return and he says it was great having them there.
“It was awesome, they are my main supporters and I was glad to have them here.”
The Hawks came out on top winning 45-0 against Sir John A. Macdonald Highlanders.
