Creekside Athlete Concentrates on School While Recovering | Schools

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. -- This week's Student of the Week, Nico Ditota, is overcoming the odds.

The sophomore at Creekside High School is working hard at school and sports, already concentrating on a college scholarship.
 
But a broken femur during spring practice threw a wrench in the plans.

"I'm on the road to recovery," said Nico. "It was one of the worst pains in my life."
 
Five days in the hospital, a rod and three screws later, he's still on the honor roll and training to get back on the field.

Ditota's football coach, Greg Stanton, calls him a tough kid.

"He's battled back from that," Stanton said. "He's a young man of great character."

"My school and my team is very caring about me and cared a lot through what I was going through," Ditota said. "It was one of the hardest times."

Ditota hopes his determination is a message to to others.

"I'm just showing them if you get injured you shouldn't quit on the sport," Ditota said. "You should work as hard as you can to get back to where you want. If you really love it you would keep playing it."