Feeling blessed: Mustangs’ kicker is back, stronger than ever

MADISON – Both his knee and spiritual faith buckled from pressure, but for Neil Radak he feels blessed as both are back, stronger than ever.

The senior football player for Madison Academy and former soccer player has come back to action after suffering two serious injuries to his left knee. The fact Radak is a left-footed kicker made his return even more remarkable as he missed his entire junior season in 2023 due to his first injury and five games of the current 2024 campaign after going down to an injury for a second time.

“After my first injury I underwent 10 months of rehabilitation, sat out the entire football and soccer seasons and actually left Madison Academy to concentrate on my academics attending College Academy here in Huntsville, which included high school classes online and three college classes per semester at UAH,” said Radak, who will celebrate his 18th birthday Nov. 16. “I returned to M.A. this school year for my senior year as I wanted to play sports again and this is where my friends are. The football team welcomed me back.”

An area resident beginning six years ago, his family made up of his father Philip, mother, Megan, and a younger brother arrived in North Alabama by way of California. His father is an engineer for Boeing while his mother is a retired school teacher, now small business owner. Radak took piano lessons for 10 years and claims fishing as his hobby. A dedicated soccer player, he was the Mustang’s top goal scorer in his freshman year. He was enticed to try out for the football team and spoke with head coach Bob Godsey who told the young Radak the team would need a good kicker the next season, but before he could snap on his football helmet and give the football a swift kick, personal tragedy struck the 6-foot, 160-pounf athlete.

“During one of our soccer games I was running to the ball and my left knee just sort of collapsed. I fell to the ground with pain and knew something was bad as I couldn’t walk,” said Radak. “There was instant pain that I had not felt before.”

Examinations showed a tear in both the ACL and meniscus and surgery to repair the damage came two weeks later and ended his thoughts of playing both soccer and football his junior year.

Fast-forward to earlier this summer as Radak was cleared to begin workouts and preps for his senior season of football after sitting out his junior year as a Mustang. During a pre-season practice, Radak felt his knee become stiff and soon began to swell and again cause pain. Further examinations by his doctor again showed a torn meniscus. This time a meniscus-scope surgery was involved on Aug. 29, the day before the team’s second game of the season.

Radak was out for four weeks and underwent extensive rehab at SportsMED and with the school’s athletic trainer, Shane Harris. For a month Radak would stand on the sidelines watching his teammates continue on with the 2024 season. He added, “I knew I’d be back as I didn’t lose hope.” In his first game in almost two seasons versus Arab, Radak had one kickoff and missed his only field goal attempt in the game marred by rain and heavy wind. The next week against North Jackson, his missed his only point after touchdown attempt, but showed his true form by hitting two field goals of 32 and 27 yards.

He fought his physical challenges and won, but had a more difficult inner-demon: his faith.

“I prayed during my injuries, or at least I did at first, but when I got angry, I stopped. I asked God why this happened to me,” said Radak. “I felt as though I had lost my faith. I struggled with what I was going through physically, mentally and spiritually. Somehow I came back and began saying prayers as I was healing from my injuries. Soon, I knew I could get back to being as good as before, especially in my faith.”

Radak spends personal time prior to each game with a simple prayer. He feels as though he steps out on the playing field with an extra strength within his mental state and his soul, especially knowing he’s the only kicker and punter on the team roster.

With a 3.98 grade point average, Radak is looking to attend college at either Auburn or Alabama where he wants to major in business or criminal justice. He’s aware this season will most likely be his last to play organized football and may again try to play soccer for Madison Academy in the spring, but just being back to his old self has made for a return of this athlete to his favorite sport with faith upon his heart, his soul and his left knee.

“I think that was God’s plan for me,” said Radak. “I took a break from God, but I’m back, stronger, closer to God.”