Caleb Lara was severely injured in a golf cart accident last summer and finished six months of physical therapy this past January. He missed his cross country and basketball seasons at Fountain Hills High School this year, but he’s excited to return for his junior track and field season this spring.

Lara’s golf cart tipped over when he was going down a hill, and his leg was caught in the wreck. He said he slid down 40 feet with the cart, and battery acid leaked from the cart onto the open wounds on his leg.

“I was stepping on the gas on the way down, and on a golf cart, that’s not a very good idea,” Lara said. “I tried to break as soon as it started swerving. It started tipping over and then my leg was caught…I had three friends with me, too, but luckily none of them were injured.”

Lara’s leg injury was made worse by the battery acid, and he had to get skin grafted to help his recovery. He wears a full-leg compression sock that helps smooth out his skin, and he’ll have to wear it for another year. He does take it off to shower and sleep and replaces it with a new one afterward.

“I was in the hospital for nine days, and then right after that, the day after I went to physical therapy to get checked out,” Lara said. “Physical therapy from August to the beginning of January, then I started running with the [track] team in preseason practices.”

Lara has always done team sports and has gone to Fountain Hills schools since kindergarten. Lara still wanted to be around his teammates and served as a team manager for cross country last fall, but he kicked himself for not being able to do more.

“It hurts. All I do is compete and play sports,” Lara said. “That’s been my whole life…It’s time to go. I’ve been easing on it too long. It’s time to push myself every race.”

The boys cross country team placed ninth at sectionals last fall, and the top seven teams advanced to state. Lara thinks he could’ve helped the boys make that mark, but he’s trying to stay positive and focus on his junior track season and senior seasons next year.

The Falcons only sent individuals to the track and cross country state meets in Kevin Clancy’s first year coaching both teams. The girls cross country team qualified for state last fall, and the track and field team has high hopes for year two under Clancy.

The roster grew by double digits and there are several new faces on the team. The Falcons only had one freshman and two seniors last year, but they have 45 kids this year, and they’re spread out across age and gender.

“I think we’ve got a good team,” Lara said. “Last year was like 15 less people than this year. I feel like a bigger team is better, it’s more motivation. We can do it together and track meets will be fun, too.”

The Falcons have 45 athletes this year and grew from nine girls to 13. That was a specific area that Clancy wanted to grow, and his target was 12 girls at the end of last season.

The Falcons also have a full coaching staff this year. Fountain Hills alumnus and former javelin state champion Stephanie Lies returns for a second straight year to coach javelin. She’ll be joined by Ed Tafoya, who will coach shot put and disc.

Andrea Hall will coach horizontal jumps and distance, while Zygmunt Gorgol coaches high jump. Nicole Lane will help coach distance as well.

There are also five captains to help lead the large team this year. Seniors Jentezen Behnke, Franklin Fiola, Tyler Irvine-Violette are joined by juniors Skye Alker and Eliana Bartman in leadership roles.

Behnke and junior Erin Hooley each competed at state last year. They hope to have more Falcons accompany them this year, and between returning talent and divisional changes, they have a pretty good chance of that happening.

The Falcons moved from Division III to Division IV. Division IV was added this year, and since teams were spread out across each division, there are fewer teams and less competition for the Falcons to qualify for the postseason.

Lara and the rest of the Falcons will try to capitalize on the division change in order to make the state tournament. Lara ran the 3,200m most often last year, and he’s focused on longer track races to keep him in shape for cross country next fall.

“Long distance is a lot more natural for me,” Lara said. “I’ve been doing cross country and running since sixth grade, so I’m used to it. Two miles and under is where my go-to is.”

The Falcons’ first meet will be an intrasquad competition at home next Wednesday, Feb. 22. After the test meet, the Falcons will compete on Saturday, March 4. Next, the Falcons host a home meet on Thursday, March 9.