Rams’ captain will begin physical therapy.
This time he didn’t get back up.
All throughout his baseball career, C.J. Goularte, a former Acorn, has had the ability to bounce back after an injury. There was nothing that could stop him. He was fearless on the field. Goularte has been a virtual ball magnet, getting hit by pitch after pitch and then shrugging it off like an elephant would a knat.
Twice this year alone, Goularte had to make trips to the emergency room because of getting hit with pitches – once in the arm and once in the face.
But now the sophomore second baseman and lead-off hitter, who transfered to Gavilan College from De Anza to be with several teammates he’s played with at Live Oak and in Pony Baseball, is out four to six weeks with a broken leg.
Goularte, who was named the captain of the baseball team at the start of the season, broke the inside part of his right tibia when he tried to beat out a bunt and collided with the first baseman during the doubleheader last weekend.
He underwent surgery Wednesday night at the Stanford medical center to put six screws that will stay in forever in to mend the bone. His cast is the latest in high tech medicine and comes complete with a cooling system.
Family members were encouraged by the doctor reports. Because there was no major ligament damage, the leg should heal a lot quicker than originally expected.
Goularte will begin physical therapy in three weeks and hopes to rejoin the team toward the end of the season.
But being down hasn’t stopped Goularte from being active. He keeps updated regularly by teammates on how his team is doing.
Goularte, who coaches the U11 Garlic City Bandit travelling baseball team, was on hand to root his team on to a recent championship.
Before heading out to their positions on the field, the Bandits shouted their coach’s name – ‘C.J.’.
With their coach on crutches, the 11-year-olds, who are also managed by Goularte’s mother Patty, dedicated their championship run in a tournament at Twin Creeks in Sunnyvale to Goularte, of San Martin. Garlic City won five straight games to claim the tournament title and also earned a National World Series berth in July.
