Graduation meant it was time for the


next level. All the hard work and determination


payed off, and Cardoza went on to play under scholarship for Georgia State University (GSU). Cardoza would play two seasons at the Division I university. Ten, his baseball career took a turn for


the worse. While playing one day, Cordaza suffered a major knee injury, putting him on the disabled list for eight months. He felt that he was fortunate he could still walk after tearing the three major connective tissues of the knee. More specifically, his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), middle cruciate ligament (MCL) and post cruciate ligament (PCL) were torn, preventing him from being able to step on the field for the rest of the season and the off-season. “Injury is as much a part of sports as is


success,” Cardoza said. “I was glad to have had academics because I never played quite the same [after my first injury].” As a result of his injury, Cardoza found


that the GSU staff was recruiting another able player for the upcoming season, which would reduce his scholarship money. He was forced to refocus from playing Division I baseball at GSU and transfer to Armstrong Atlantic State University (AASU) to play Division II baseball in Savannah, Georgia. Cardoza played with the AASU Pirates


for one year. By the end of the season, he had torn his ACL and MCL yet again, seemingly ending his career. “[Trough the injury], I had matured by


learning how to make the best of all the situations I could control,” he said. Cardoza did eventually heal, and during


the process, he decided to study in Puerto Rico to get his teaching degree. “I was falling in love with [teaching],” Car do z a said. “I re- ally liked w or king with kids, so I decided to go to Puerto Rico be- cause it was home, and my family lived there.” Although he initially went to study, Cardoza also landed a job on the baseball field. After finishing his school work, Cardoza walked onto the Guaynabo Mets and began his career as a professional baseball player. His fondest memory of his time in the league was “when we won our division, it was an intense game. I scored my team’s only run


HIGH SCHOOL


FRESHMEN YEAR • Made Decatur Varsity team • Joined travel team (Jack City Dodgers)


SOPHOMORE YEAR • Led Bulldogs to first playoff appearance in 25 years


JUNIOR YEAR


• Led Jack City Dodgers to number two ranked team in the nation


SENIOR YEAR CARLOS CARDOZA


BORN • January 19, 1987 in San Juan, Puerto Rico


HIGH SCHOOL • Decatur High School


• Signed National Letter of Intent during the early signing period to play under scholarship at Georgia State University (GSU) • Named to the 2005 Atlanta Journal- Constitution All-Area team for DeKalb • National Army Reserve Student-Athlete of the Year


and had two hits in three plate appearances.” His professional career would go on for


Cardoza tags out a player as the Armstrong University Pirates starting shortstop. He also served the team as a lead-off batter.


one season. Tis time, however, it didn’t end with a tragic injury but rather a job offer. Te pay for a professional team in Puerto Rico wasn’t enough for Cardoza, and there weren’t many job opportunities there, so he was forced to look for a teaching job. “Once I didn’t find anything good in Puerto Rico, my mom strongly urged me to get in contact with Decatur,” Cardoza said. “So I called Ms. McKain first to just catch up with her, and [by the end], she had offered me a job.” Cardo z a


now has re- tur ned


to


Decatur where he teaches in multiple classrooms during the school day. He also returned to coach with his old team — the Jack City Dodgers. In five years, Cardoza pictures himself


teaching, working on his doctorate degree and being the head of a baseball program. But for now, “I’m happy where I am because it’s familiar.” n


COLLEGE


SECOND YEAR COLLEGE • Tore three knee ligaments, disabling him for eight months • Played part of season with GSU


THIRD YEAR COLLEGE • Transfered to Armsrong Atlantic State University (AASU) to start as Pirates’ starting shortstop but suffered a season-ending injury again in two knee ligaments


FIFTH YEAR COLLEGE • Became first AASU player to ever receive the All-Southeast Region Rawlings Gold Glove Award • Graduated from AASU


AGE 23 • Teaches Spanish at Decatur


OCTOBER 2011 • CARPE DIEM 13


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