It has now been nearly two years since Saskatchewan Huskies football player Colton Klassen dislocated his ankle in a game versus the Alberta Golden Bears.
And although he gave the team the thumbs up and tried to be around the team as much as he could in his recovery, it was a long road back for the Saskatoon product — especially considering last season was cancelled.
“It was two steps forward, one step back,” Huskies receiver Colton Klassen said.
“Especially from that mental perspective. You would have those days when stuff doesn’t feel right, and you would wonder when am I going to feel normal again? Am I going to feel normal again? So I’m happy that I am over that hill and have been for a while.
“I am just happy to be out here playing with my friends again and playing an amazing sport.”
Klassen is back to full speed and he proved it in his first game back, racking up 107 yards receiving and two touchdowns versus the Calgary Dinos. The Huskies didn’t win that game but Klassen claimed a mental and physical victory.
“It was kind of amazing,” Klassen said.
“Didn’t really think of it at first and then at halftime, I thought this is really good. especially playing somewhere, when the last time I was there, I couldn’t even walk. So it felt good. The teammates let me know it was good to have me out there. The opponents told me it was good to have me out there, so that felt really good as well.”
Klassen added two more touchdowns in the Huskies’ recent victory over the UBC Thunderbirds on the road. This fifth year’s return has not only put a smile on his face, but also on his teammates and the coaches.
“What you see is what you get with that young man,” Huskies head coach Scott Flory said.
“I mean, he is an absolute treasure and a treat to have on our team, and as a leader on our team, also a player to coach. You never want a university career to end like that. You want to have the story-book ending. We hope to support that with him here with us this year.”