Lamendola granted ninth semester, can play for Air Force football this fall

When he was being pushed around Air Force Academy by his football teammates in a wheelchair, Ken Lamendola understandably wondered if he would play linebacker for the Falcons again.

He never made it back last season, but has gotten a second chance for a senior season. Lamendola has been granted a ninth semester for medical reasons, and will be able to play for the Falcons this fall.

What happens when Lamendola gets back on the field isn’t as clear. He had 118 tackles as a sophomore and was a rising star for the Falcons. That was two knee surgeries and an ankle surgery ago. He hasn’t played since early October 2009 and knows there will be questions about what he has left.

“It’s a fair question – I haven’t played in a year and a half,” Lamendola said. “But everything is going well for me.

“It was a hard road, I’ll say that much, and a lot of work. I get better every day. I notice it.”

Air Force coach Troy Calhoun doesn’t know how much Lamendola will contribute either. The Falcons will get to see Lamendola’s progress during spring football practices, which begin Wednesday. But whether Lamendola comes back to his previous form is almost an afterthought. That he has the chance to come back in any capacity is well deserved.

“You just can’t do any more than that kid has done, as far as making a commitment to getting himself healthy,” Calhoun said. “Golly – there’s no way you can do more.”

Lamendola’s problems started when he suffered a badly sprained ankle late in Air Force’s bowl game his sophomore year. He was diagnosed with chronic instability in his right ankle after that. Against Navy as a junior, he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. He had surgery in November 2009, but needed a second surgery the next March. When he got his second knee surgery, doctors fixed his ankle as well. That led to two months in a wheelchair.

Last season, when his teammates were practicing, Lamendola would usually be off to the side doing his rehabilitation work. His hope was to return for Air Force’s sixth game, but he just wasn’t ready. He was around the team every day, and was at every game, but that wasn’t the same.

“I don’t like to be that guy that just talks and doesn’t produce,” Lamendola said. “In that way I felt out of place at times. But my friends and teammates were good about that – they came to me for advice. I was fortunate I had their respect.”

Calhoun said the coaches will be smart and not push Lamendola too hard during spring practices. They want him healthy for training camp in August. At that point Lamendola can start working his way back up the depth chart, and see if he can wrestle any playing time away from returning starters Jordan Waiwaiole and Brady Amack.

“I know I have to prove myself all over again,” Lamendola said. “I expect it, and I want that. I don’t want anything given to me. I’ve got good guys I’m competing against, good friends, but I’m excited for it though, especially after this last year-and-a-half. I’m hungry, that’s for sure.”