By Nicolas Ngo, Photo Editor
In a game against La Canada in summer 2018, Kwoh shoots a three-pointer, hoping to give his team the lead. This was a few months before his season-ending injuries.
The squeaking of shoes and labored breath filled the ears of varsity basketball player, Nathan Kwoh, as anticipation mounted in the court. After his missed shot, an opposing player collided with Kwoh as he attempted to rebound the ball, knocking the air from his lungs and forcing him to land unnaturally on his ankle. The resulting force caused his leg to snap as a burst of pain surged through his leg, drawing the concern of medics, teammates and the stunned crowd.
“His spirit, hustle and attitude are Nathan’s greatest assets,” boys basketball coach Ted Nuguid said. “They allowed him to do what was necessary to not only return to the court, but to push himself to be a starter. In order to be the best he could be, he learned that it was his values, not his athleticism, that would get him to the level he hoped he would attain.”
Kwoh tore his anterior cruciate ligament and his medial collateral ligament in Nov. 2018 after he collided with another player while going for a rebound. Shortly after, he had his ACL and MCL surgically repaired. For three months, Kwoh received blood thinners after post-surgery blood clots.
“I was very frustrated to see my teammates being able to play while I was recovering,” Kwoh said. “It motivated me to work harder in my recovery process so I could get back onto the basketball court as soon as possible.”
An ACL tear affects the ligament that connects the thigh bone to the shinbone, creating instability in the knee. ACL tears occur because basketball requires sudden changes in direction and unnatural landings after a jump are common. Although an ACL tear used to be considered career ending for athletes, today’s medicine and surgery allows 90% of athletes to return to their pre-injury level of activity.
“Before his injury, Nathan relied more on his athleticism,” Nuguid said.“After his return, he still had his athleticism, but he improved his IQ on the court. In addition, he was more committed to the program knowing what he had lost due to injury as well as to COVID-19. His communication and ability to enhance his environment made him not only a valuable member but one that was respected and looked at to lead.”
Kwoh began playing competitive basketball in seventh grade. He typically plays the guard and forward position, and excels at long distance shooting and ball-handling.
Due to his injury, he was unable to play for the basketball team until his junior year, despite being on the roster for the entirety of high school. In order to increase his leg strength after the surgery, Kwoh attended nine months of physical therapy before he was able to play basketball again. Resulting long term effects keep him from fully extending his knee as well as decreasing his agility and speed.
“For my first game back, I was very nervous but confident,” Kwoh said. “I knew I worked very hard to come back and play so I was definitely prepared. Without my effort, I wouldn’t be as strong and fast as I am now.”
During his recovery from the injury, Kwoh practiced dribbling and shooting in order to maintain and hone his skills. He returned to the basketball team in Jan. 2020 of his junior year as a sixth man, which is a player who is substituted first off the bench. He officially returned as a starting forward on the team his senior year, after the district cleared in-person sports. Looking forward, Kwoh hopes to continue playing basketball at Cal Poly Pomona and major in Kinesiology.
“Through this process, I learned that hard work does pay off if you put your time and effort into it,” Kwoh said. “I always stayed positive and worked hard. My determination to get back on the court helped me stay motivated. I knew that the work I put in would reward me in the end.”