Senior soccer standout, Tommy Stanley is looking to make his return to the pitch after two years of battling concussions.

Stanley has had three severe and two minor concussions over the last two years, and has missed playing on the field with his teammates.

“Seeing all of my teammates play without me, knowing I should be out right there beside them, is the worst feeling for me,” Stanley said.

Since he missed last year’s Mack Plaque due to a concussion, Stanley was thrilled to be back in the action against Pinkerton this past Saturday. In fact, he scored the winning goal in double overtime.

“I am looking forward to getting my fitness back,” Stanley said. “I was really excited that I got to play in Mack Plaque against Pinkerton this year.”

All of Stanley’s concussions have been due to soccer injuries and he is finally back doing what he loves.

Senior captain Griffin Cowles is excited to have his fellow midfielder back on the field with him this week.

“He brings pure class to the midfield,” Cowles said. “He is constantly able to find the right angles to open up the midfield for us to push forward as a team and create scoring opportunities.”

Stanley is a big asset to this year’s team. He is one of five players on the team that plays soccer year round and has been on one of the best club teams in the state, FC Greater Londonderry, for the past seven years.

“Stanley is a seasoned player who has a lot of soccer experience,” Head Coach Todd Ellis said. “A fortunate thing that resulted from his injury was that it made him a sideline observer of the game. As a result, he gained a better understanding of the game and he is now able to bring that back onto the field, and share his knowledge with his teammates.”