Pisula returns to football after battling back from knee injury

Posted on September 20, 2016 by Keera Frye in Features, Sports // 0 Comments

With every minute that ticked off the clock, another fingernail was damaged.

Leslie Pisula, 57, fidgeted in her seat in the stands, biting her nails as she watched her freshman son, Tommy Pisula, get ready for kickoff.

“I was scared to death,” said Mrs. Pisula remembering Tommy’s first high school football game. “Tommy was a lot smaller than some of those boys. I couldn’t stop worrying that he would get hurt.”

But after Tommy finished the next two seasons unscathed, Leslie’s fear became a reality.

Pisula’s junior football season seemed to come to an end before it even began. In the Scotties first game of the season at Charleroi, Pisula was taken out after going up for a pass and landing awkwardly. During the second quarter, Pisula got back into the game. Back pedal. Back pedal. Plant. Twist. Pain.

“The atmosphere changed immediately when Tommy got hurt,” said teammate Jaden Datz. “And we could feel that we were missing an important part of the team on the field.”

Pisula injured his ACL and had a tear in his meniscus, both of which required surgery in September of 2015. Pisula was forced to use a wheelchair before transitioning to crutches. Although Pisula was unable to play on the field with his teammates, he remained supportive from the sidelines at every game possible.

“Watching from the sidelines unable to play was the worst feeling,” said Pisula. “Because all of your buddies are out there and they want you to still be part of the team. And you are, but it’s different.”

Many members of the Southmoreland football team expressed that they were happy to have Pisula back for the 2016-2017 football season.

Tommy Pisula recovering fumble on Sep. 9 against Charleroi

“Tommy contributes so much to the team,” said sophomore teammate Ronnie Robinson. “He always tries his best for the team, never complains, and is a great leader. I’m happy that he decided to come back to football.”

On Sep. 9, Leslie Pisula found herself biting her nails again in the stands of Russ Grimm field for Tommy’s first home game back. Against Charleroi.

“I’m just glad that game’s over,” said Leslie, “Charleroi was the game I was most nervous for and the rain didn’t help.”

The downpour at the game reminded Leslie of last season’s away game at Charleroi where Tommy was injured. There were two rain delays at that game before it began. Same team. Same weather. Different outcomes.

Leslie was happy to see her son healthy at the end of the game, but Pisula admitted that he had higher hopes for his first game back on Russ Grimm field.

“It wasn’t the outcome I was looking for for my first game back,” said Pisula. “But getting my name announced again and just hearing the crowd excited was an amazing feeling.”

Pisula hopes for a healthy and successful season back with the football team but is looking forward to his last basketball season even more. Missing out on playing football and basketball his junior year has made Tommy realize that “any play could be your last,” and he avoids taking things for granted. A lesson he wishes to pass on to his peers, and has been successful in doing so.

“Seeing Tommy back on the field playing and working just as hard as before is a real inspiration,” said Robinson. “He doesn’t let anything hold him back, and he has been a great role model for me.”