CASSOPOLIS — Being an underclassman in the world of high school sports can be hard. It can be even more difficult when your first winter sports season begins with a serious injury.

Gage Collins, now a senior at Ross Beauty Junior/Senior High School in Cassopolis, recalled his freshman year, when a serious knee injury put a halt to him finishing his wrestling season and doing what he loves — playing sports.

After sustaining a spiral fracture on both his fibula and tibia at a wrestling practice on Jan. 24, 2017, the then freshman was not sure if he would ever step back on any mat, field or diamond again. 

After surgery and the addition of a plate and 16 screws, Collins was able to start slowly recovering through physical therapy.

In his junior season, Collins made a splash both offensively and defensively. He played as a guard and center on offense and led the football team in defensive tackles from his middle linebacker spot.

He also went back to hitting the mat his junior year, and earned a conference championship title in wrestling, a district runner-up title and received an honorable mention on the All Southwest wrestling team. He finished his junior season with a 31-11 record.

“It felt great,” Collins said. “I’ve been working since coming back from my injury. It was really special to me my first full year back.”

Now as a senior, Collins is ready to step us a leader on the football team and show the underclassman how things are done — the Rangers way.

“It’s crazy. It went by fast,” Collins said. “Save your time while you’re an underclassman, then give it what you got your senior year.”

Despite Collins’s early freshman year injury, he has not shied away from participating in his three respective sports throughout the year.

“I’ve always wrestled and always played football,” Collins said, adding he also plays baseball in the spring season.

Collins spends time outside of practice in the weight room during football head coach Dan Purlee’s physical education class.

“He is just a hardworking kid. He stays busy all summer and comes up to our workouts as well,” Purlee said. “I don’t have to worry about work ethic when it comes to him. He manages his time well.”

With his senior year unveiling itself, Collins wants to pursue a football career at the college level and is hoping to have a breakout year to help his team make it to Ford Field.

“That’s our mission every year ,and we got to fulfill that for our community,” Collins said.

Last season, Collins helped lead the Rangers defensively to the Michigan Division 7 semi state final game. A 34-37 loss to the Madison Eagles ended the Rangers season one game away from an appearance at Ford Field. Now, Collins is as focused as ever on making it even further this year.

“He is a football player,” Purlee said. “He plays with great toughness, has good athleticism. His heart and will to succeed kind of sets him apart from a lot of other kids.”

Collins hopes to embody many of the same qualities as the seniors on the team last year. 

“Last year, seniors were really good leaders,” Collins said. “We just have got to follow in their footsteps and step up. I encourage everybody to be better than what they are right now. To be their best.”

Collins knows a thing or two about getting better. After his injury, he spent time trusting his physical therapy to put him in the place he needed to be.

“You got to pick yourself up after life knocks you down and something unexpected happens,” Collins said. “It’s not just the break that really affects you. It’s what you do afterwards to come back from that injury and be your full potential.”