WWAY Student Athlete of the Week: Caleb Combs

State-qualifying senior shotputter is using adversity to fuel a potential career path

BOILING SPRING LAKES, N.C. (WWAY) – Before South Brunswick junior (at the time) offensive lineman Caleb Combs tore his ACL, he was still a good student with a peaking interest in science.

The next six months of grueling, tedious, and aggravating rehab would only go on to fuel his passion for human anatomy and how the body should and shouldn’t work.

“Every since I tore my ACL it’s spiked that interest for me”, said the state-qualifying senior shotputter. “Whether it’s going to med school to simply rehabbing someone from that point… I’d love to have my own clinic and help athletes or anyone that needs the help.”

An serious injury during one’s junior season can become a death sentence for recruiting, especially in 2024, with less and less opportunities for athletes coming out of high school. He says the injury had him down in the dumps with how slow recovery was going.

“It was the worst time I could ask for,” said Combs. “Going into recovery, I remember 2 weeks out from surgery I was still bedridden and through I couldn’t get through it. I got past the 4 month mark and things still looked down hill, with spring ball starting next week.”

Nonetheless, he stayed persistent, and found himself back on the field and track “better than ever”.

Combs has an opportunity to advance his academic and athletic career in college.  Maintaining nearly a perfect grade point average, Combs has a fascination with science. This injury only furthered that curiosity. In fact, he calls it a causation that his interest in human anatomy has peaked.”

“With throwing and football – wanting to be better at both of those and training – I’ve learned that learning how your body moves and how your body works will help you be more successful in those things.”

“I have never been as interested in the human body as I am now. Anything to have to do with healing and different kind of training styles that would make me a better athlete or make athletes better than they are, that was in the back of my mind. That six-month process just peaked my interest because that’s all I would do is look at how to be better and how to rehab quicker.”

Combs is competing this weekend in the indoor track championship at Winston-Salem University at 4pm Saturday. He hit the qualifying mark of 43 feet during a meet at North Brunswick.

“I love the competition. I’ve only been throwing for two years but I’ve done nothing but gain distance and feel pretty confident I can place and do something.”

Combs admits coming off of the injury, he didn’t think he would have a shot to compete for a state championship.

“After I was throwing for a little I got my confidence back.”