NOCTILUCA October 2017

SPORTS Appleton, Wisconsin October 2017 Volume XXlll

Issue l

Page 12

Injuries do not disrupt Noah Faber’s return to football

being able to breathe and I was spitting up blood profusely.” Suffering a concussion is a serious injury in itself, even after one concussion many don’t come back because they come with serious health ef- fects down the road. While he did take two years off to heal up, you have to give major “I still have a love for the sport that is unmatched.” props to Faber for having the courage to come back. “I took those two years off just to think about life and what I wanted to do with it and recover to the best of my abil- ity. I still have a love for the sport that is unmatched.” Faber couldn’t have done it without the great people in his life. He has a great sup- port system surrounding him. His family, friends, coaches, and teammates have always supported every choice he has made in this long and gruel- ing process to a return. Faber is very thankful for everyone

togetherness outweighed the fears of getting hurt again. “I have no regret coming back, and I am so thankful that I was welcomed with open arms,” Faber said. Sometimes in order to do something you love, it takes a great sacrifice, and for Faber, his love is football, and that sacrifice was facing his fear of injuring himself again, possi- bly putting his life on the line to do something he loves. He deserves our respect for his valiant return. Football may be a game to some, but the amount of courage Faber dis- played was admirable. He was able to shut up all the demons inside and return to of football.

1. How did you get involved with tennis? I got involved in tennis my sophomore year be- cause it seemed like a fun sport. The more I started playing the more I liked it, and I’ve been playing since then. 2. What was your fa- vorite high school sport moment? My favorite high school tennis memory was when my partner Taylor and I won the Terror Invite this year. I’m really proud of how we played and it felt great to win a tennis tour- nament for the first time. 3. Are you involved in any other sports, if so which one is your favor- ite? I’m not in any other sports, but I do like to ski! who has made this transition back to football an easy one. “I know that the support I got from all my coaches and teammates through my two year break enlightened me and made me think I still have a place in football,” he said. When he returned, he had so many emotions running through his body. On one hand, he was excited to be back and ready to contribute to an amazing football program. However, he was scared be- cause he could not forget what happened on the very same football fields just a few short years ago. “I will always love the feeling of being out on the field and being with the people who you can call your broth- ers,” Faber said. That love and Faber, second from left, prac- ticing with fellow teammates. Photo by Kyle Hoffenbecker.

Noah Faber (77) seeing action on the field for the first time since freshman year. Photo by Kyle Hoffenbecker.

By Kyle Hoffenbecker You may see him listening to his rock music, you may know him for his fascinating guitar skills, his long, luxurious hair, or just another student roaming the halls of Appleton North. His name is Noah Faber, a se- nior at North. If you have the privilege of knowing him, as I do, one thing you notice about him is his humble personality, he does not like to talk about himself. That is why, as a good friend of his, I was surprised that it was not until the end of my junior year until he told me the story of how he had to

stop playing football freshman year, almost three years ago. So why did he have to stop playing football you ask? Well, it was another typical af- ter school football practice for Faber. He was going through his typical linemen drills when out of nowhere, BAM! One of his drills went horribly wrong. He received a severe concus- sion, ruptured veins, and over- extended his neck. “I felt so nervous because I did not rec- ognize the pain right away, but I had the ‘butterflies’ you get after being hit. I remember not

Interested in writing for sports? Contact Kyle Hoffenbecker at HOF600040@stu. aasd.k12.wi.us if interested!

Athletes of the Month By Kyle Hoffenbecker and Adithi Reddy

Samantha Carroll - Senior - Tennis

Adam Zeratsky - Senior - Football

1. How did you get involved with football? I got into football when my parents signed me up for flag football when I was little. 2. Are you involved in any other sports, if so, which is your favorite? In addition to football, I play basketball and base- ball for North. It is hard to come up with a true favor- ite but I have always loved basketball and baseball. 3. What has been your favorite high school sports moment so far? My favorite high school sports moment was mak- ing it to the sectional final for basketball my sopho- more year. It was such an important game, and it was played in front of a huge crowd.

4. What is your favor- ite part about playing football? Being able to bond with teammates. We are so close with each other, like a big family. We sacrifice so much time and effort together. I also love the hype of football games, no other sport receives as much hype as football does. 5. How do you man- age your time between, school, sports, and any other activities you are a part of? I focus in class and don’t waste time during school so I don’t have to worry about doing home- work when I have sports or other activities after school.

4. What is your favor- ite part about playing tennis? My favorite part about playing tennis is learning new shots and improv- ing my game. I also love being part of a team and cheering on my team- mates during their match- es. 5. How do you man- age your time between school, sports, and any other activities you are a part of? It can be hard to bal- ance school and activities but I always try to write down everything I have to do which helps me man- age my time. I bring my homework to matches so I can get things done after we play. Overall I just try to be really organized to stay on top of things.

Photo by Kyle Hoffenbecker.

Photo used with permission from Lesley Carroll.