Boozer Making Strides After Knee Surgery

AMES, Iowa ? Iowa State's energy on the basketball floor took a hit on Jan. 13 when Charles Boozer, the Cyclones' heart and soul, went down with a knee injury against No. 1 Texas.

Coming off his best game in his Cyclone career, where he tallied career highs in points (19), field goals (7) and 3-pointers (3) vs. North Dakota State, Boozer picked up a loose ball and made a mad dash to the other end in an attempt to convert a layup. Boozer got tangled with a Longhorn defender and fell crashing to the floor. The prognosis didn't look good, as Boozer clutched his knee grimacing in pain.

His worst fears were confirmed when it was later detected he tore an ACL in his right knee which required surgery. His season was officially over.

The tough road to recovery immediately began for Boozer the next day. Sitting out and watching his teammates play the game he loves was tough enough, but putting in the commitment and time to properly rehabilitate his damaged knee is a battle in itself.

Boozer started meeting with ISU Assistant Athletics Trainer Vic Miller daily for rehab. Miller has worked with a number of athletes with similar injuries, and he would find out rather quickly if Boozer would have the correct attitude and work ethic for a smooth healing process.

“A great attitude is the key,” said Miller. “If you don't have a good attitude and realistic goals, and you don't have the drive to achieve those goals, you will have problems. Those goals are what drive athletes like Charles, who are very driven people, to continue to succeed. If they don't have that drive, they won't get to where they need to go.”

Boozer's determination hasn't gone unnoticed by Miller.

“He is at eight weeks right now and he has been progressing very, very well,” Miller added. “He's way ahead of schedule. His mental attitude has been great so far. He comes in every day and does what he is supposed to do. He excels and pushes himself hard.”

See what Charles has to say about his rehabilitation by clicking on the video links tab on the photo above.