Nick Dentamaro | Photojournalist

Caleb Baird reaches back to grab his gloves while his team goes through a walk through of their game plan before Friday's homecoming game. “It's been a rough road,” Baird's mother said about watching her sons team. “But to see where they came from this spring to where they are now, I am so proud of our guys.”

Caleb Baird smiles as he looks over his honors certificate in the Vadnercook Lake gymnasium during the awards ceremony. “You can't just define people with one title,” Baird said. “I play sports, I'm a smart guy, I go on missionary trips, I'm in the choir.”

Caleb plays a football video game at his house after reviewing colleges with his dad, right. Sometimes he just feels the need to unwind in front of the television after long days of practice.

Caleb Baird, center, laughs with his teammates as they watch the junior varsity team play Napoleon. Baird's brother Zach plays on the J.V. team.

Caleb takes a moment to collect himself before heading out to the field for the Vandercook Lake homecoming game against Hanover-Horton.

Caleb Baird was elected homecoming king by the student body at Vandercook Lake. “A lot has changed actually,” Baird said.“We'd get a new kid in school and I'd wait for them to come introduce themselves to me. This year all the new kids in our grade, as soon as I realized I didn't recognize them I'd be like 'oh hey my name is Caleb what's your name?' I didn't used to do that stuff.”

Caleb's father Marty pokes him in the chest to pump him up before the start of the third quarter during their homecoming game.

Caleb Baird hangs his jersey over his head as he walks onto the Jayhawk field alone. This was Baird's last homecoming game and they lost 34-13.

Caleb Baird gets out of the van at the Allegience Hospital outpatient surgery center the Friday of the team's last game. In the previous game Baird was injured when a helmet collided with his knee taking him out of the game. He was lucky to have only injured his medial collateral ligament and not his meniscus and anterior cruciate Ligament. Due to the limited injury he will only spend 6-8 weeks in a brace instead of major surgery but still had to sit on the sidelines for the Jayhawk's final game.

Caleb Baird waits in a hospital bed at the Allegience Hospital outpatient surgery center the Friday of the team's last game. In the previous game Baird was injured when a helmet collided with his knee taking him out of the game. He was lucky to have only injured his medial collateral ligament and not his meniscus and anterior cruciate Ligament. Due to the limited injury he will only spend 6-8 weeks in a brace instead of major surgery but still had to sit on the sidelines for the Jayhawk's final game.

“I'll do it for you,” said Steven Melville, Caleb's friend and teammate as he came closer to breaking the Cascades Conference tackling record during their last game against Jonesville.

Caleb Baird, center, is hoisted up by his teammates as they sing to fans in the bleachers. The Jayhawks won their last game against Jonesville 26-21 giving them a 1-8 season.

Contact
About
Multimedia
Stories
Sports
Singles