Putting the words “knee” and “injury” together is enough to send a shiver down the spine of any athlete.
Especially when you’re an athlete coming off a junior season in high school where you were chosen as a second team All-State selection and have college coaches lining up for your services.

That is the situation Eastview’s Matt Garin found himself in over the summer.

A defensive end for the Lightning, Garin is one of the most sought-after football recruits in the state of Minnesota after a very productive junior season.

Garin had 90 tackles for Eastview in 2007 – including 22 behind the line of scrimmage – and totaled nine sacks. Following the season, Garin was selected to the Associated Press All-State second team and began to attract a lot of attention from top college programs.

While playing in the lacrosse state tournament in May, Garin noticed something in his left knee beyond just the tendonitis he had experienced in the past.

“What happened was a piece of cartilage from the back of my knee cap broke off and was floating around in my knee,” Garin said. “It was kind of strange. I could actually feel the piece of cartilage floating in my knee.”
The piece of cartilage is referred to as a “loose body” and Garin got his knee scoped to correct the problem over the summer.

“I was on crutches for about two weeks (after the surgery),” Garin said. “I spent most of the summer rehabbing and it started to feel 100 percent again a couple weeks before two-a-days started.”

With his knee healthy, Garin hasn’t missed a beat in picking up where he left off terrorizing opposing offenses.
Rival players and coaches aren’t the only ones keeping track of No. 49 for the Lightning. As of mid-September, Garin had received 13 scholarship offers and the number could grow.

Count UCLA, Colorado, West Virginia, Arizona State and Minnesota among the schools Garin is seriously considering and, if none of those places are to his liking, there’s always that offer from Stanford to fall back on.

“I started getting a lot of mail in the spring,” Garin said. “I get calls from coaches just about every night. I don’t mind it, I like to talk to the coaches and get to know them and ask them about how their teams are playing.”

Eastview lost only two games in 2007 – both to eventual state champion Eden Prairie – and the 6-foot-4 225-pound Garin leads a defense that is regarded as one of the best in 5A football.

“I have a lot of confidence in our team,” Garin said. “We have a really strong defense and I have faith in our offense. We want to get back to the state tournament.”

Sporting a 3.5 GPA at Eastview, Garin wants to find the right fit for his collegiate football career, but also knows the importance of academics.

“I want to get into a good business program,” he said. “My dad owns his own packaging company and what I want to do is own my own business someday.”

For now, Garin is sticking to making it his business to keep Lake Conference coaches up at night wondering how they will stop him.