Maresh cleared to play for Gophers

Sam Maresh at practice during last year's football season at Champlin Park High School.

Former CP linebacker will return six months after heart surgery
BY NICK CLARK

Like he has most for the better part of the last six months, Sam Maresh stood inside the University of Minnesota football practice facility Wednesday, Dec. 17 biding his time.

But this day was nothing like any other.

Just six months removed from an open-heart surgery procedure that replaced his aortic valve, Maresh was given the go-ahead to resume football related activities.

He got that news Monday, Dec. 15, and even on Wednesday, he was still taken aback by the fact that his playing days would officially continue.

"It blew me away," said Maresh, who was reached by phone while he was watching the Gophers go through one of their tune-ups for their Dec. 31 Insight Bowl game against Kansas.

"You always have to have that faith that you will recover as fast as possible, but it still is a good feeling to go in there and have them say you are ready to go after six months. I can't really explain it."

Maresh was given the news at the Mayo Clinic, and he'll return to Rochester for one final test before the Gophers start their spring practice in March.

In January, he'll begin taking college classes at Minnesota - he didn't enroll for the first semester so he could concentrate his efforts on the rehabilitation process - and he'll also begin working out within the Gophers winter workout guidelines then as well.

That also means he will continue to get an up-close look at the construction of TCF Bank Stadium, where the Gophers will begin play Sept. 12 against Air Force.

Maresh said he gets the "shivers" even thinking about that day. Chances are, more than a fair share of his family and friends will get that same feeling when he takes the field.

"I can't wait," he said. "It all starts with a lot of motivation. You have to be motivated enough to get after it and accomplish what the goal is, and that was for me to get back out there as soon as possible and to play in that stadium. I just took baby steps and did what the doctors told me and it all worked out."