The call echoed across the ice.”GOOOAALLLL! I GOT IT, I KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BE BAUMAN!”In that moment, Cole Bauman delivered a national championship for FGCU hockey. But the game-winning goal was only part of his story.For Bauman, the road to that moment was years in the making.Before overtime glory came setbacks. A bone contusion. A torn labrum. Injuries that threatened his ability to play when it mattered most.”You just have to look forward and think it’s going to be better and I’m going to play again,” Bauman said.Bauman’s recovery was not something he faced alone.At Orthopedic Center of Florida, a team of specialists worked closely with him throughout the process, helping guide his return step by step.”You need to understand what their motivation is. What’s meaningful and purposeful for them so that you can help them achieve the goals that they want,” said Vikki Velez, an occupational therapist at OCF.That approach is critical in sports like hockey, where the pressure to return quickly can carry long-term risks.”We have these conversations on a daily basis where it’s that part of it, trying to get them to understand, is it worth it to go back right now when later, that’s when you really want to be there for your team,” said Dr. Stephanie Listowski Wong, OCF’s director of rehabilitation and wellness.That emphasis on proactive wellness kept Bauman grounded throughout his recovery.”Every time I got injured, I knew that I would be here and they would take care of me,” Bauman said.While Bauman’s journey ended with a national title, doctors say the impact of preventative care goes far beyond one athlete.”Here we really try to take care of our people, and then also try to get people in as quickly as possible, and get you answers and get you back to what you love doing,” Listowski Wong said.For trainer and massage therapist Jesse Littlefield, that influence is something he sees every day.”To see people come in here and we try to do our best to fix them and to help them along their way so that they can go home with a smile on their face and enjoy life. That’s like why all of us got into this, just to help people,” Littlefield said.Bauman’s journey reflects something larger. The fight to return to health is one that many people face, and one that is often best navigated with the right support system.”And looking back, I mean, it’s special that I made it through all that,” Bauman said.From rehab to raising a national championship trophy, his story is defined not just by the goal, but by everything and everyone it took to get there.DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.

FORT MYERS, Fla. —

The call echoed across the ice.

“GOOOAALLLL! I GOT IT, I KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BE BAUMAN!”

In that moment, Cole Bauman delivered a national championship for FGCU hockey. But the game-winning goal was only part of his story.

For Bauman, the road to that moment was years in the making.

Before overtime glory came setbacks. A bone contusion. A torn labrum. Injuries that threatened his ability to play when it mattered most.

“You just have to look forward and think it’s going to be better and I’m going to play again,” Bauman said.

Bauman’s recovery was not something he faced alone.

At Orthopedic Center of Florida, a team of specialists worked closely with him throughout the process, helping guide his return step by step.

“You need to understand what their motivation is. What’s meaningful and purposeful for them so that you can help them achieve the goals that they want,” said Vikki Velez, an occupational therapist at OCF.

That approach is critical in sports like hockey, where the pressure to return quickly can carry long-term risks.

“We have these conversations on a daily basis where it’s that part of it, trying to get them to understand, is it worth it to go back right now when later, that’s when you really want to be there for your team,” said Dr. Stephanie Listowski Wong, OCF’s director of rehabilitation and wellness.

That emphasis on proactive wellness kept Bauman grounded throughout his recovery.

“Every time I got injured, I knew that I would be here and they would take care of me,” Bauman said.

While Bauman’s journey ended with a national title, doctors say the impact of preventative care goes far beyond one athlete.

“Here we really try to take care of our people, and then also try to get people in as quickly as possible, and get you answers and get you back to what you love doing,” Listowski Wong said.

For trainer and massage therapist Jesse Littlefield, that influence is something he sees every day.

“To see people come in here and we try to do our best to fix them and to help them along their way so that they can go home with a smile on their face and enjoy life. That’s like why all of us got into this, just to help people,” Littlefield said.

Bauman’s journey reflects something larger. The fight to return to health is one that many people face, and one that is often best navigated with the right support system.

“And looking back, I mean, it’s special that I made it through all that,” Bauman said.

From rehab to raising a national championship trophy, his story is defined not just by the goal, but by everything and everyone it took to get there.

DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.