In a regular season soccer match versus the Florida Tropics on May 28, Armando Maldonado made a move for the ball. But the Lakeland United forward was clipped from behind as his left foot was firmly planted in the ground.
His body shifted and, it was followed by a loud popping sound. At that moment, Maldonado could not feel his knee — he had torn his ACL and his meniscus around the 75th minute of the game.
Maldonado, the 2021 Polk County Boys Soccer Player of the Year, had signed up to play with the United Premier Soccer League team to further augment his soccer skills with hopes of earning a college scholarship.
His goal was successful. He secured a scholarship to Prairie State College in Chicago early in the season, setting up a start date with the NJCAA program on June 25.
But his Lakeland United season effectively ended with three goals and one assist because of the knee injury and he was worried about retaining his scholarship.
“I was sad and I didn’t want to tell coaches," Maldonado said. "I was thinking, ‘Why did this happen to me?’ But you know, God is the only one that knows what happen to me. He has the reason. He knows why he picked me. He probably wants me to go through the struggle to see. He’s just putting me to the test. God puts you through challenges to see how strong you are.”
Still, Maldonado had thoughts that his scholarship would be taken away. Prairie State coach Carlos Reyes had watched the soccer game in which Maldonado was injured, and for the next couple of weeks he monitored the status of Maldonado's injury, hoping that it wasn’t too serious.
After three weeks, MRI results were in and doctors officially labeled the injury an ACL and meniscus tear. But Reyes reassured Maldonado that the scholarship is still on the table for 2023 if the Lakeland United forward wanted to go that route.
Maldonado said he intends to stay the course.
But Lakeland United head coach Tauan Salgado said there could be more options on the table.
“He won't be going to Prairie State College anymore for this fall,” Salgado said. “The work that we will put together will be first focused on his full recovery, then get him back on the fields with us and check the opportunities out there for the fall of 2023.
"Coach Carlos Reyes from Prairie State College already made note that he wants Armando for 2023, but we will have other options for him as well and he will decide his future with our help and guidance.”
But, with his entire left leg in a knee brace while walking on crunches, Maldonado is waiting to see when he can get surgery.
Since the end of May, he has been attending games, most recently being there for Lakeland United's 2-1 win over the Florida Tropics, which advanced the first-year program past the first round of the playoffs and a Sunday game in Haines City with Leg-AZ World FC, the top team in Florida West.
“It’s a good feeling for me and the team because all season we’ve been working hard,” Maldonado said.
Still, Maldonado typically thinks about getting back to playing, even as far back as when he first competed in soccer in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, while living with his grandmother. Normally, the former all-county Polk player played soccer on the streets, or in nearby neighborhoods.
Competitive soccer wasn’t available to Maldonado until he moved to Lakeland in 2014. His first taste of competitive soccer came when he joined the Florida Tropics Academy.
He would go on to play for Lake Gibson High, where he led the Braves to the district title game for the first time in 17 years and back-to-back district championships. He graduated Lake Gibson as the school's second all-time leading goal scorer in its history with 91 goals.
These are the memories Maldonado yearns for.
“One month ago I was good," he said. "I could have played in the game, but I couldn’t. The injury is holding me back.”
It will likely take Maldonado 10 months to make a comeback. For now, he will take tips from Lakeland United coach Samuel Sampaio, who also tore his ACL while playing in the fall.