Caleb Ogden was your stereotypical high school football player; a football jock with a massive group of friends, always loud and joyful. Ogden has been playing football since he was 3, and 12 years of a sport entails a passion that one can’t easily let go of. However, everything seemed to change his sophomore year when he acquired an injury that changed his life.
In his sophomore year, Ogden suffered severe injuries on both of his knees. Over time, the pain worsened, so he had to make a big decision: continue playing football and risk permanent damage, or stop playing football altogether. “It forced me to make a great change in my life because it was a lot of what my life was. I was known for football, football was kind of my whole life,” Ogden said. After debating greatly between his options, Ogden decided to discontinue playing football to recover from his knee injuries. “It got worse and worse to the point where I would need surgery right away,” Ogden said.
Ever since Ogden’s football career ended, he has focused on reconnecting with family while finding other passions to occupy his time. “I wouldn’t have the friendships I have today if I continued playing football. It allowed me to find new things and be more open to new people,” said Ogden. Although he believed it was once a negative change in life, it ended up being a positive change despite the hard lesson learned.
Currently, Ogden is a captain of the Track and field Team at San Dimas High School. He describes the sport as a newfound passion following his football years. “Track is a big part of my life now because I’m a captain now, and I’m really good at it,” Ogden said. He is a sprinter and thrower on the team and was promoted to captain in his junior year. Despite the injury, Ogden has found it a journey of growth and feels that it was a positive outcome.
