Jeff Braun's wheelchair is unoccupied these days. The Lakewood head football and assistant track coach is walking around during practice.
"I am happy to be walking and not have a lot of pain in my knees," Braun said.
Braun, who enjoyed an active athletic career in the 1980s, had a grueling, eight-month battle to come back from knee-replacement surgery on both knees in December of 2015.
His recovery went well --; maybe too well. He re-injured his rebuilt left knee while working out, and an infection developed in the spring.
"All of a sudden that knee changed and my wife (Lisa) could tell something else was wrong," Braun said.
He had emergency surgery to get rid of the infection.
"I was in a wheelchair for 10 weeks and on intravenous antibiotics for six weeks to get rid of the infection," Braun said. "I coached the track team from the wheelchair and started out summer football workouts in a wheelchair. In mid-June after making sure the infection was gone, they put in a new knee again.
"Since then I have been rehabbing and working hard to get back to normal. I missed about a week of football right after my surgery in June but have been at practice since then and I am feeling pretty good now."
Participation gains short yardage
Concerns over the risk of concussion have left many to wonder about the future of football. But a national survey conducted by the National Federation of State High School Associations revealed a slight participation increase from 2014 to 2015.
There were 24 states, including Colorado, that had an increase in 11-man football, according to the NFHS report compiled from across the nation. When combining boys and girls participation in 6-man, 8-man, 9-man, girls and 11-player football in 2015, the combined numbers nationally increased by 138 from 1,114,253 in 2014 to 1,114,391.
Colorado doesn't sanction 9-man football so the combined participation for three divisions in 2014 was 16,272 compared to 16,884 last season. In 11-man football Colorado's participation numbers increased from 14,952 two years ago to 15,705 in the 2015 season.
According to Colorado High School Activities Association figures, there was a decline of 470 total participants from 2013 to 2014 and 287 players from 2012 to 2013.
However, there hasn't been a lot of fluctuation over the past six seasons in Colorado's football participation numbers.
"We have remained flat and I believe we could see some falling off as people react to the concussion/head injury concerns," said CHSAA Associate Commissioner Bert Borgmann. "What is important is that we continue to work with schools and coaches on proper techniques. Colorado has always been at the forefront of keeping the head out of football."
Valor names new baseball coach
Valor Christian Athletic Director Jamie Heiner didn't have to look far during his search for a new baseball coach to replace Keith Wahl.
Brian Bonn, an assistant baseball coach for the past nine seasons at Valor, has accepted the position as the Eagles' head coach.
"I am excited to step into this new role and look forward to continuing the traditions that make Valor baseball such a special program," Bonn said.
Valor won the Class 4A state championship in the spring.
Street of champions
Baneberry Street in Highland Ranch seems to be the place where champions and nationally ranked athletes live.
Tim Hola was crowned the national champion after winning the USAT Olympic Distance Triathlon in the 40-44 age group earlier this month. A few houses down the block, Maurine Sweeney captured her third consecutive USA Cycling National title in the 40-44 division in January. And Judy Nelson lives up the street and is a perennial top-ranked USA Masters swimmer.
ThunderRidge Hall of Fame
ThunderRidge inducted its first Athletic Hall of Fame class in July.
Athletes who were inducted were the 1999 girls state championship soccer team, Abby Waner, Emily Waner, John Woods, Jerry Rouse, Jesse Nading and Marty Heaton.
Book on umpires
Phil Ross, a former sports and news editor of the Douglas County News-Press who spent 18 years as a college and high school umpire in Colorado, has written a book titled "Blue Hombres" about Latino umpires in the major leagues. The book can be found on Amazon.com.
from Lakewood Sentinel - Latest Stories http://lakewoodsentinel.com/stories/Lakewood-coach-gets-back-on-track,234102
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