Michigan high school football player reunites with teammates after spine fracture in opponent’s belly-flop attack

Colton Mims, a Lakeshore Lancers defender, rolled onto the visiting sideline in a wheelchair to greet his teammates at Dickinson Stadium on Sept. 26, 2025, a little more than a week after suffering two slight fractures to his spine in a game against Kalamazoo Central High School. The 15-year-old’s return came amid a highly publicized incident in which a Kalamazoo Central opponent bodyslammed himself onto Mims during a defensive play on Sept. 18, an act later described by opponents as a stunt and later labeled illegal. Mims was carted from the field and transported to a hospital for evaluation and treatment.

Mims sat on the Lakeshore sideline, wearing his No. 68 jersey, as his team faced the St. Joseph Bears at Dickinson Stadium. The scene drew emotional support from families and teammates, and the Lakeshore community organized a public return that carried a sense of healing and resilience after the frightening moment on the field. The injured player’s mother, Courtney Mims, captured the moment in messages shared with friends and supporters online, writing, “The first time taking the field since!!!!” and, later, “That’s my BIG BABY!”

The reunification of Lakeshore players with their injured teammate occurred as part of a larger display of community solidarity. Parents from St. Joseph’s High School organized a prayer circle outside the sports complex, a moment that was described by Courtney Mims as meaningful for both families. After a hard-fought game, Lakeshore claimed the “War by the Shore” victory and greeted Mims with a celebratory high-five from the field, a gesture that underscored the close-knit nature of the two communities during a week of intense scrutiny and emotion about the incident.

The incident that led to Mims’s injuries quickly drew online attention and widespread condemnation. A Kalamazoo Central High School player—later identified by some outlets as Rhys Biske’s teammate—was seen on video performing a body slam on Mims. Biske publicly criticized the action, saying the move had been an intentional stunt that his teammate performed as a celebration and to be funny, though he added that there was no malicious intent to injure Mims. “They’re getting a lot of threats and comments on videos or saying a lot of things about jail time for my teammate and firing the coaches,” Biske said in comments shared by his mother on social media.

Kalamazoo Central High School said it took “strong and decisive action” against the junior varsity athletes involved in the incident, but the district did not disclose specific accountability measures due to student-privacy laws. Lakeshore Schools Superintendent Greg Eding confirmed that disciplinary actions had been applied and apologized to Lakeshore families on behalf of the district, according to WWMT. The episode prompted a broader conversation about safety rules, enforcement, and accountability in high school sports as the communities processed the risk and the consequences of illegal on-field actions.

The return of Colton Mims and the responses in the days that followed highlighted the human side of high school athletics: a sense of unity among teammates, the courage of families pressing forward after a frightening injury, and the ongoing obligations of schools to protect players while enforcing rules designed to prevent dangerous stunts on the field. The Lakeshore community described the moment as a reminder of what athletics can teach about resilience, teamwork, and compassion, even in the face of violent or reckless acts that can alter lives in an instant.

As the season continued, families and administrators said they would keep focused on safety, rehabilitation, and the ongoing education of young athletes about the consequences of risky plays. For Colton Mims, the return to the sideline was not just a moment of personal healing but a symbol of the broader effort to keep high school football safe and supportive for everyone involved. The road to full recovery remains ongoing, but on that Friday night, the Lakeshore community witnessed a resilient comeback that underscored the enduring values of sportsmanship and community support.