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Krause Worked His Way Back to the Floor Following ACL Tear

Josh Krause feels ecstatic to be back on the court for his senior season with the Guilford boys’ basketball team—and he’s certainly making up for lost time.

Last winter, Josh saw his junior year with the Indians come to an abrupt end when he tore his left ACL. After undergoing months of rehabilitation, Josh battled his way back to the floor this season, and he’s having a great year by averaging 10.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and a team-best 2.1 steals a game for the undefeated Indians.

“It feels great to come back onto the court with my best friends. It was torture to sit out last year and not play with my [brother Jordan] in his last season,” says Josh. “It was hard because we had just as much potential last year as we do this year, but to already be in states, it feels great.”

Josh says he was unsure about his future in sports upon learning the extent of his injury. However, he went through the rehabilitation process and came out the other side as a stronger person.

“When I went down, I didn’t think it would be an ACL. I went to the doctor the next morning and was devastated. My friend Austin Wallace had an ACL tear before, so I knew what to expect, but I questioned if I’d be able to play sport again,” Josh says. “I went to physical therapy three times a week from the tear in January until I was cleared in November. I felt pretty comfortable with the physical therapy staff, which helped a lot. I knew the harder I worked, the more success would come out of it. I tried to go as hard as I could.”

After being given the green light to get back on the court, Josh felt good during practice and in some friendly exhibitions, but experienced some trepidation before the Indians’ first regular-season game. However, Josh centered himself that night, and it didn’t take long for him to get back into his groove.

“I played pick-up games with friends before the season and felt strong, and in practice. In the first game, while listening to the National Anthem, I felt nerves for the first time and got chills,” says Josh. “But now, I feel more confident and don’t get the chills. I know my limits.”

Guilford Head Coach Jeff DeMaio notes how quickly Josh bounced back from his injury, although he isn’t too surprised considering the competitive drive that he’s seen Josh display throughout the past few years.

“If I’m not mistaken, his injury occurred in early January last year, and his surgery was in early February. The fact that he was ready to go with us when practice started on Dec. 2, that in itself is impressive,” DeMaio says. “Mentally and physically, the kid is a gamer. He gets it. He comes from a sports family that understands how competitive high school athletics is. He’s a terrific teammate. He is unselfish. He is driven to help this team have a great year. He likes to be coached, and we are all blessed to have him back.”

While working to become a defensive force, Josh and the Indians are also producing plenty of points this season. Now back where he belongs, Josh says that he appreciates having a clean bill of health.

“Our big guys down low are powerhouses rebounding, and we are hard to stop when we are hitting open shots. It all comes down to the defensive end, and we have to work our butts off,” says Josh, who thanks his dad Tyson, brother Jordan, physical therapy trainer Steve Barry, Wallace, and all of his teammates and friends. “This process taught me to not take things for granted. I was bedridden for three weeks after my surgery. I realized how lucky people are to walk.”