I first met Isaiah Collins during tryouts for the K5 Basketball team at Allen Elementary when he was in the 3rd grade. During tryouts, I remember turning to one of the other assistant coaches saying “man this kid is fast”. It was at that point, the assistant coach said “yeah, you should see him play soccer.” Throughout the years, Isaiah continued to excel in soccer. From travel teams to middle school soccer, Isaiah continued to be one of the best players on the field. The speed he exhibited from his midfielder position continued to set him apart.
During both his Freshman and Sophomore seasons, Isaiah and his Prestonsburg Blackcats marched through 15th Region and won the Regional Championship. In his Sophomore season, the Blackcats were defeated in the State Tournament Elite 8 round in Double Overtime.
Entering his Junior season, everything appeared the same when suddenly on October 1, 2020 Collins experienced a life changing injury during a home soccer game. He was a victim of a slide tackle done wrong by a player from the opposing team with only 2 minutes and 36 seconds into the game. Isaiah suffered an open compound fracture that broke both the tibia and fibula in his left leg. Isaiah had to undergo a 3 hour surgery to help repair his shattered leg. He received a rod from the knee to the ankle and four screws.
We have all seen injuries in various sports. Sometimes the injuries are so severe they rob the athlete from their gifts. Collins was determined not to let this happen. He was determined to make an impact in the sport he loved and had devoted so much time to.
After several months of being down, Collins was eager to get back into action. It was at this point, Isaiah had even more complications. The screws near his ankle were causing pain and pulling when he ran. The doctors determined he had to undergo a second surgery to remove the screws. Finally even though he had much muscle loss and still experiencing pain, Isaiah was determined not to be defeated. His trust in God to guide him, positive attitude, and hard work allowed him to come back for his senior year of soccer with the same success he had before.
With every game he played, he became stronger mentally and physically. Collins help lead his team to the 2021 57th District Championship for the 4th consecutive year. With the District Championship victory, the Blackcats were poised to make a run at their 4th Consecutive Regional Title.
Unfortunately, a loss to Lawrence County in the Regional Championship game ended Isaiah’s season. He had 32 goals and 15 assists during his senior season. These totals pushed Isaiah’s high school career total to 99 goals and 46 assists. He made the All District team and first team All Region this year.
Isaiah doesn’t plan to have his dreams stop here. He plans to continue his passion for the sport of soccer in college. With his hard work and determination, there is no doubt the D & D Sports Network fans will be seeing Isaiah Collins playing at the collegiate level next season.
