The Bocklet family had been there every step of the way for Chris — as was the entire lacrosse community. Thousands of lacrosse players, coaches and fans flooded the GoFundMe account started by Casey Powell. Hundreds of others sent messages to Bocklet’s phone, to which he had no access for weeks after the accident.
When he did pick up his phone for the first time, he couldn’t comprehend the messages, but he felt the love. In that moment, he felt like Chris Bocklet again.
“I didn’t really know what a cell phone was, but I knew it was connected to the outside world,” he said. “One day, I got the balls to open it, and I was so nervous. I opened it and all of a sudden these names pop up — I had no idea of any of these names, and these could be my best friend. They were all just on my side. That’s when things started to turn. I started to feel like I was back on a team.”
Now, Bocklet is easing back into a life that he enjoyed so much before his life-altering injury. He’s been connected to the lacrosse world since he picked up a stick when he was a child, and even after his career ended, he intends to bolster a community that has given him so much this year.
He recently has been granted the opportunity to work for three days a week, and he’s never been more excited. His X10 lacrosse camps are still moving forward, and he’s also working on speaking with various youth, high school and college teams, hoping to share the positivity and mindfulness that got him through the toughest point in his life.
The process won’t be the same — Bocklet will have to take precautions in order to coach, snowboard or do any other physical activity. For many, restrictions may come off as a negative, but Bocklet has taken those challenges in stride — much like he has with everything he’s encountered this past year.
“I need to protect the noggin, so I might be the coach out there that’s wearing a helmet showing the kids how it’s done,” he joked.