Alleman High School soccer goalkeeper Tomas Miranda and his team have wrapped up a successful, albeit bittersweet, season that took them all the way to their first IHSA Sectional finals. While they fell to the Quincy Blue Devils, the Pioneers’ deep run ended with a 17-6-1 season.
It was a year the 16-year-old says he will never forget and will certainly appreciate after his previous high school football injuries and two surgeries sidelined him the first two years of his high school career.
“I tore my ACL and meniscus during freshman year of football at Moline,” Tomas recalls. “Then as a sophomore, I transferred to Alleman to play football, and I dislocated my shoulder. I sat out both years. It’s hard to watch your friends play from the sidelines.”
Sidelined Following Injuries on the Field
Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr. Kevin Hodge, has treated Tomas throughout his athletic career, performing two separate surgeries: the first to fix Tomas’ torn ACL and meniscus and a second surgery to repair his shoulder labrum after the dislocation.
Tomas says to protect both his health and his ability to play sports, he ended his football career and returned to soccer, a sport he says he’s loved since elementary school. “I really loved football, but my friends are playing soccer, and I love it too. I am the goalkeeper, and we’ve been great this season. We wanted to see how far we could go into the state tournament.”
Back to ORA to visit Dr. Hodge
Dr. Hodge says Tomas’ resiliency to play soccer successfully is due in part to the improvement in sports medicine surgeries. “Orthopedic sports medicine continues to evolve with minimally invasive techniques that shorten recovery times and improve outcomes.
“For Tomas and many athletes, we perform ACL reconstructions through small incisions with improved graft harvest and fixation methods that help athletes safely return to cutting and pivoting sports.
Sports Injuries are on the Rise
“Similarly, newer arthroscopic shoulder procedures — such as Tomas’ labral repair with remplissage (to stabilize the shoulder and prevent future dislocations) allows surgeons to address both soft-tissue and bone injuries through small ‘poke-hole’ incisions. We restore stability with less trauma to surrounding tissue.”
These techniques allow athletes like Tomas to rehabilitate and return to play more quickly.
Dr. Hodge says Tomas’ frequency of injuries and their severity (surgery and months of rehab) is not unusual. “I have definitely seen an increase in the level of injury that requires surgery and rehab that can take months.”
According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS), a 2023 study noted while “participation in sports has been on the rise, and although the overall injury rate has decreased, serious injuries requiring time away from sport or even surgery have been increasing in this vulnerable population of student athletes.”
Dr. Hodge says the ORA Sports Medicine practice bears that out. “We are seeing more sports-related injuries in younger athletes because many kids are specializing in a single sport at an earlier age and training year-round. While focused training can improve skill development, it also increases the risk of overuse injuries.”
What can parents and their athletes do? “We encourage athletes to stay well-rounded — play multiple sports, take rest periods, and remember that athletic development should enhance life, not define it.
Dr. Hodge, ORA Orthopedics
Balance is the Key for Injury Prevention
“The key is balance — proper nutrition, sleep, cross-training, strengthening, and flexibility. We encourage athletes take at least one season off each year from a repetitive sport to help the body recover and adapt. A balanced, well-rounded approach not only prevents injuries, but it also helps athletes enjoy a longer, more rewarding career.”
Tomas’ mother, Lupe, says Dr. Hodge has made all the difference in her son’s successful return-to-play. “I researched doctors and found Dr. Hodge was a specialist in sports medicine. He has been there throughout Tomas’ entire high school career, and we couldn’t have asked for a better doctor.”
Tomas’ journey of athletic injury, rehab, and growth have made all the difference as he looks forward to his senior year. “It has felt so good to play an entire season.
“I have seen a lot of my improvements in my physique. I was a bit chubby, but soccer has slimmed me down and strengthened my legs with running and conditioning.
“It’s given me confidence, and next year we’ll be back for another run at State,” he vows. Go make history, Pioneers!
