Pre-season fixtures are an exciting time for any rugby player. The slog of summer training is over and the zest of early competition evident.
For Caleb Aperahama (Maori for Abraham) of Tauranga Boys’ College one particular fixture has been a reoccurring nightmare, Caleb explains.
“In 2012 against Auckland Grammar I hurt my left knee in a tackle. At the time I thought nothing of it, but at the next training I was hit hard in a tackle and felt a snap in my knee. My ACL was gone.”
Caleb spent six months recovering and was ready for rugby again in early 2013. Against Auckland Grammar history cruelly repeated itself.
“I lunged forward to take a pass out in front of me and landed awkwardly on my left knee. The left leg rolled and my knee popped out. I had done the ACL again.”
If Caleb damages the ACL one more time, health professionals have warned him that his sporting career would be over. Caleb explains with surgical precision what has been involved in the reconstruction of his knee.
“The first ACL reconstruction was done in keyhole surgery using my left hamstring to repair the ACL on my left knee. The second time I tore my ACL the graft to repair it had to be taken from my right leg. Using the keyhole they went in and got the graft then put it in my left knee to replace the ACL. They also did a relatively new operation where they take strands from my ITB (large thigh muscle on the outside of the leg) and wrapped it through my knee then molded it to my patella tendon. This means the ACL has another man made and new ligament running parallel to the ACL which makes it twice as strong, but my knee less flexible.”
Caleb has spent eleven months out of sport because of his knee injuries. In 2014 he was again available for the Auckland Grammar fixture and recalls what happened.
“I played for 50 minutes. In the first few minutes I was a bit hesitant, but once I got into it I felt alright. When I was replaced after 50 minutes I was pissed off, but in hindsight that was the right thing for the coaches to do.”
Tauranga disappointed this season. They only won a solitary Super 8 game, but Caleb enjoyed a fine season. The two-meter lock and loose forward earned selection for the Chiefs Under-18 squad and was named Man of the Match in his sides’ nationally televised fixture against Gisborne Boys’ High School.
Caleb says, “The boys got on really well. There were no personality issues in the team, but we were really young and the rugby is just getting better and better. We lost a number of close games, one mistake can kill you.”
Remarkably Caleb’s knee troubles have done little to disrupt his volleyball commitments. Caleb has established himself as possibly the best secondary school player in the country.
In 2012 Caleb helped Tauranga win the Super 8 and finish third at the Nationals. In the last two years Tauranga has successfully defended the Super 8 crown and won back to back National titles.
The Bay of Plenty region and especially Tauranga Boys’ College has a rich history in volleyball. Since 1969 Bay of Plenty Schools’ have won the Kohitere Shield as National Champions 28 times. Tauranga has won the Kohitere Shield 11 times and on four occasions completed the season undefeated and won the National title. In 1979 they went 20-0; in 1989 they repeated the same record. In 1997 Tauranga was 24-0 and in 2007 they went 36-0, after losing three of the previous four National finals.
Caleb was MVP of the 2014 Nationals. He is an opposite hitter. Caleb describes his role.
“Basically I am the main attacking player. I stand in the front court and try and crush winners. I also block shots and have a licence to attack from anywhere if I can.”
Tauranga’s current volleyball coach is former New Zealand representative Ben Ormsby. Ormsby speaks highly of Caleb’s game.
“In this sport the bigger you are the better you are. Caleb is a big boy, but combined with his height is serious skill. He is a very skillful big man which explains why he is a fairly handy rugby player.”
Caleb has enjoyed success in beach volleyball to. Twice he has won the National Secondary Schools’ title with Thomas Reed and even acquired somewhat of a celebrity status.
“In year 10 I went to the Under-19 Oceania championships in Vanuatu. My partner and I won the title and it was crazy. At the airport we had our picture taken by somebody and we ended up being on the front page of the newspaper the following morning. Everywhere we went we were mobbed, it was nuts and the weather was crazy hot.”
Caleb has had overtures from American universities to play volleyball, but he has chosen to head to Canterbury University next year and study criminal law (he is a big fan of the Crime Channel). Caleb will be a member of the Canterbury rugby Academy. Caleb’s advice to those recovering from serious injures is simple.
“The key is surrounding yourself with good people. It’s easy to feel bad about yourself, but if you are around good people who give sound advice then that makes a big difference.”