Craig Stant Wins 2010 Michelle Antoinette Hamdan Award
May 6 2010 1:30PM
This award is presented to an athlete who has exhibited extraordinary strength of character in the face of adversity. It is meant to acknowledge the athlete with “the most heart.” The award has been established in memory of our daughter Michelle Antoinette Hamdan, who was stricken by an undetected congenital heart defect and died on February 8, 1991, just days after her birth on January 30, 1991.
This year’s winner embodied the strength of character this award acknowledges, as he worked through a fairly common injury under very uncommon circumstances. Although he was able to play in all 18 soccer games of the 2008 season, he struggled with persistent knee pain throughout the season. After the season, the knee pain was found to be caused by a partial tear of his ACL, a knee injury that would have sidelined most athletes. After an attempt to rehab and play in a brace, it was determined that the damage to the ACL was too extensive to allow him to achieve his full potential on the field. A second MRI revealed not only the ACL tear, but a Kneecap tracking injury that had developed as a result of playing on the torn ACL.
Surgery was scheduled to be performed as soon as possible, as any delay would decrease his chance of returning for the 2009 Men’s Soccer season. However, another complication arose—he was suffering from uncontrolled diabetes mellitus I, a condition that unless immediately regulated, would make him ineligible for the surgery. An emergency appointment was made with an endocrinologist, and he was placed on several new medications in an attempt to stabilize his condition and keep his insulin and sugars regulated enough for him to have the operation.
Surgery was finally performed on January 2009, over 3 months after the initial injury. The athlete was counseled that he should expect a recovery on the long end of the ACL protocol. His progress could also be restricted due to the Kneecap injury that had developed. His healing rate might be slowed due to his diabetes. Unfortunately, this would set him on pace to be in playing shape barely in time for the 2009 NEC schedule.
The first week after surgery, the athlete pretty much lived in the Athletic Training Room. He met The Athletic Training Staff at the door at 7 am each day, having been unable to sleep all night. His roommate diligently carried his CPM machine down for him onto one our treatment tables, where he would sleep, waking only to receive several rounds of treatment a day, often leaving at 10 pm when the AT room closed. While the time he spent in the Athletic Training Room at first was a necessity, it soon became a habit. He rehabbed consistently every day, and pushed his body to the limit. Motivated by his drive, he fought through the moments when he was ready to give up. His hard work paid off: before leaving school in May 2009, he was cleared to begin training at the discretion of his physiotherapist in England.
In August 2009, he was cleared to resume full play, just in time for soccer preseason. He participated in full practices, lifts, and conditioning 2-3 times a day during preseason, never taking a session off. Not only did he return to full training, he came back from his injury to start all 18 games of the 2009 season, and finished third in minutes played. He provided a strong defensive presence for LIU, and was tied for second in assists.
He will be returning to play his senior season next year, and he will continue to set an example for all LIU student- athletes of the hard work, dedication, and most of all, heart, that it takes to defy expectations and achieve success against all odds. The 2010 Michelle Antoinette Hamdan Award is presented to Craig Stant.
This year’s winner embodied the strength of character this award acknowledges, as he worked through a fairly common injury under very uncommon circumstances. Although he was able to play in all 18 soccer games of the 2008 season, he struggled with persistent knee pain throughout the season. After the season, the knee pain was found to be caused by a partial tear of his ACL, a knee injury that would have sidelined most athletes. After an attempt to rehab and play in a brace, it was determined that the damage to the ACL was too extensive to allow him to achieve his full potential on the field. A second MRI revealed not only the ACL tear, but a Kneecap tracking injury that had developed as a result of playing on the torn ACL.
Surgery was scheduled to be performed as soon as possible, as any delay would decrease his chance of returning for the 2009 Men’s Soccer season. However, another complication arose—he was suffering from uncontrolled diabetes mellitus I, a condition that unless immediately regulated, would make him ineligible for the surgery. An emergency appointment was made with an endocrinologist, and he was placed on several new medications in an attempt to stabilize his condition and keep his insulin and sugars regulated enough for him to have the operation.
Surgery was finally performed on January 2009, over 3 months after the initial injury. The athlete was counseled that he should expect a recovery on the long end of the ACL protocol. His progress could also be restricted due to the Kneecap injury that had developed. His healing rate might be slowed due to his diabetes. Unfortunately, this would set him on pace to be in playing shape barely in time for the 2009 NEC schedule.
The first week after surgery, the athlete pretty much lived in the Athletic Training Room. He met The Athletic Training Staff at the door at 7 am each day, having been unable to sleep all night. His roommate diligently carried his CPM machine down for him onto one our treatment tables, where he would sleep, waking only to receive several rounds of treatment a day, often leaving at 10 pm when the AT room closed. While the time he spent in the Athletic Training Room at first was a necessity, it soon became a habit. He rehabbed consistently every day, and pushed his body to the limit. Motivated by his drive, he fought through the moments when he was ready to give up. His hard work paid off: before leaving school in May 2009, he was cleared to begin training at the discretion of his physiotherapist in England.
In August 2009, he was cleared to resume full play, just in time for soccer preseason. He participated in full practices, lifts, and conditioning 2-3 times a day during preseason, never taking a session off. Not only did he return to full training, he came back from his injury to start all 18 games of the 2009 season, and finished third in minutes played. He provided a strong defensive presence for LIU, and was tied for second in assists.
He will be returning to play his senior season next year, and he will continue to set an example for all LIU student- athletes of the hard work, dedication, and most of all, heart, that it takes to defy expectations and achieve success against all odds. The 2010 Michelle Antoinette Hamdan Award is presented to Craig Stant.
