Stillwater High kicker Grant carries on family tradition after overcoming ACL tear

Aug. 31—The story of Corbin Grant's recovery from a torn ACL varies slightly depending on the narrator.

Ask Corbin, the senior kicker on the Stillwater High football team, and he downplays the specifics, humbly saying he went through a long process to regain strength and restore his mindset. He isn't lying. But when his father, Paul, speaks about the experience, the picture of Corbin's grueling junior year becomes clearer.

Sitting in his office chair with Corbin listening, Paul recounted the details of the daily routine, crediting his son for balancing everything. Corbin started his weekdays at 7 a.m. to go to physical therapy, spent hours in the classroom, maintained dedication to at-home rehab exercises and attended workouts to meet his goal of returning for the fall.

When Corbin stepped onto the field for kickoffs and PATs during Stillwater's season-opening victory against Greenwood (Arkansas) on Friday, Paul saw his son reap the rewards of staying motivated through a difficult journey.

"It was just one of those things, you're like, 'All right, all of the work that he put in, this is exactly what he's been working for,'" Paul said. "All the hours, all the cuss words, all the tears, all the setbacks. He gets to this point, goes out and performs like nothing ever happened, which is the entire goal that he set from day one."

For the Grant family, Corbin's return had special meaning for a couple of reasons. The brace on his right knee signified the obstacle he overcame, and the blue number 42 adorning his yellow jersey offered a reminder of the tradition he carries.

Corbin is the fourth member of his family line to play for Stillwater.

In more than a decade of leading the Class 6A Pioneers, Tucker Barnard hasn't often coached kids who have multiple generations of history in the program.

"We talk about Pioneer pride and stuff, and there's probably a little bit of (an) extra element of that when it's a family long line of tradition of Pioneers," Barnard said. "I think it's pretty neat."

The legacy begins with Kent Grant, Corbin's grandfather who was born in Stillwater in 1948. A 1966 graduate of Stillwater High, Kent played halfback. Paul, a 1993 graduate, was a running back. Then Paul's younger brother, Jon, embarked on his varsity career as a fullback. Paul said he isn't sure why his father selected No. 42, but every Grant who followed him has worn it.

Corbin's uniform reflects the family tradition, and he is also a pioneer in the literal sense.

Breaking the pattern of offensive backs, Corbin is the first kicker among the Grant men.

Although Corbin was raised in the Stillwater football program with his dad on the coaching staff, he initially opted to play soccer. Because of that experience, he gravitated toward kicking when he took up football in seventh grade.

"It correlates some," Corbin said. "I feel like that has helped me a lot, with that soccer background."

The basics provided a foundation, but Corbin had to adapt. Knocking an oblong football between goalposts and blasting a spherical soccer ball into a net require unique strategies. Paul compared the differences to hitting a baseball versus hitting a softball.

Together, the father and son have learned about kicking. Corbin watches videos and meets on FaceTime with Caden Novikoff, a University of Houston alumnus who offers kicking pointers. As a sophomore, Corbin grew in his niche, filling in for a starter on short notice and going 10 for 10 in PATs against Lawton.

After a productive sophomore year, the injury struck, derailing his junior season. Stillwater opened its 2021 schedule at Edmond Santa Fe, and Corbin returned as the starting kicker.

It was the only game he played all year.

Corbin tore his right ACL during that Sept. 3 matchup, underwent surgery six days later and started on the road to recovery.

As Corbin's friend Chase Edwards stepped into the starting kicker spot, Corbin focused on rehabilitation. By late November, he was cleared to practice kicking again, but he had to regain his form. The setback took a toll on him not only physically, but also mentally.

"My mental block was just my confidence and getting back into the rhythm of me kicking," Corbin said. "Like landing on my kick leg, kicking the ball, striking through and getting my strength back and all that."

Barnard said Corbin showed fortitude through the process.

He visited OrthoOklahoma three days a week. He worked with athletic trainer Aaron Harmon after school. Three months into recovery, Corbin began to follow the Kickers are Athletes training regimen, improving his range of motion and strength.

Each step brought him closer to his Friday night comeback.

Before the Greenwood game, Corbin's mind was racing so much that he temporarily forgot how to put his knee brace on, Paul said.

With a deep breath, Corbin focused and pulled the essential item onto his kicking leg.

"It was an adrenaline rush," Corbin said. "Adrenaline was running; my heart was pacing. I wasn't nervous. I was just ready to be back and play with my team. It was really good to be back out there again."

As Corbin took the field against Greenwood, his Pioneer predecessors proudly watched. His uncle Jon, who lives in Houston, tuned into the TV31 broadcast. Corbin's grandfather, Kent, sat in the stands at Pioneer Stadium. and Paul has been by Corbin's side throughout the journey.

After his senior season, Corbin aspires to play football in college and study exercise science to become a physical therapist. He wants to help others overcome what he went through, he said.

With roots in his family's beloved program, Corbin is creating his own identity, expanding on the tradition.

"It's awesome to see (the family support) and see that I can carry on the family legacy and do as much as I can to preserve that," Corbin said. "It's pretty awesome."