Faith, football: How God worked through injured Madeira, CHCA players

Romans 8:28: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

The Blackburn family ‒ 21 strong, most from out of town ‒ left little doubt about who they came to support in the Friday, Sept. 4, high school football game between Madeira and Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy.

Madeira quarterback and middle linebacker Cooper Blackburn's face graced the front of their shirts, and his No. 4 was a large, bold contrast on the back.

Family, football photos to remember for Madeira's Cooper Blackburn

His eldest cousin, R.J. Blackburn, 25, surprised Cooper by driving all the way from Grand Rapids, Michigan, with those shirts in tow to acknowledge a lengthy off-the-field journey that made this occasion momentous.

One year earlier, nearly to the day, against the same team in the first offensive drive of the game, Cooper sustained a significant foot injury that required emergency care, immediate major surgery and months of rehabilitation, according to his parents, Scott and Katie Blackburn.

"It was up in the air if he would be able to play again," his coach Chris Stewart said.

God answered that question resoundingly.

Cooper hasn't just returned to play. He's ranked third in the Cincinnati Hills League in passing yards and has led the Mustangs (2-1) to two dominant wins over Shroder and Middletown Madison before logging their first loss in Friday's CHCA rematch, 24-12.

With what happened a year ago against the Eagles on his mind, Cooper found the game nerve-wracking but felt the team put up a good fight against a well-coached team he respected. Having his brother, Griffin (a senior at UC), parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins in the stands uplifted him.

In the handshake line, he reached the end to find CHCA senior running back/linebacker Pedro Guimaraes, his knee in a brace. CHCA head coach Calvin Renfroe said Pedro, a senior, was injured in the second half of their only loss of the season to Versailles, 20-10.

Cooper, who said he felt the impact of prayers he received from the CHCA game in 2025, knew what was coming for Pedro and wanted to pay it forward. He asked Pedro if he could pray for him.

"I felt extremely bad for him because I know first-hand how horrible it is to be at the start of a process that takes months on end of pain and grinding when all you want to do is be out on the field alongside your brothers displaying all the hard work you put in," he wrote to The Enquirer.

"One verse that really stuck with me through my recovery and helped in my times of struggle was James 1:12, 'Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love him.' I know it's going to be a difficult process for him, but with all the prayers and help, I'm confident he'll make it all the way back."

His wisdom in that regard was hard-earned.

According to his family, the first three months of Cooper's recovery meant not bearing weight on the foot. He transitioned to a boot and eventually had a second surgery before walking without aid, all the while attending physical therapy.

His family wrote that he had to rely on friends to help him with basic things, like opening doors or carrying lunch. His teammate Sam Redlinger made sure he got to school and regularly boosted his morale.

"You go from having structured practice every day and being able to contribute to your team to nothing in an instant. It's jolting. It's isolating. It shakes up the plans you had for yourself and tilts your place of belonging, especially for a lifelong, multi-sport athlete. There's a grieving process before you eventually accept the situation, dust yourself off, and keep going," his family wrote.

To stay engaged with the team, he went to the weight room on non-PT days, cheered on his teammates and studied the game from a new perspective.

"Watching from the sidelines was one of the hardest parts, because all you want to do is to contribute to your team and they have no choice but to move on without you," he wrote.

According to his family, life is a long game. The nearly two dozen family members who came on Friday wanted to celebrate the resilience that got him to this moment.

"Regardless of the score at the end of the contest, we wanted Cooper to reflect on the faces in the crowd of people who showed up for him (then and now) and know that we were really proud of how he handled himself through this situation," the family wrote.

"Only God knows the lessons each of these boys is meant to learn from the situation, but we do believe if we stay faithful and obedient to Him, He will remain faithful to us, though we may not understand his plan in the moment."

Faith and football: 'He just wanted to love on an injured brother.'

Stewart shared on Instagram the moment between Cooper and Pedro, which he didn't know had happened until Assistant Principal Gretchen Bloomstrom sent him the photo the next morning.

"(Cooper) doesn't see an opponent. He sees a kid who is hurting. And instead of talking trash, celebrating the matchup, or simply walking away after the game, he asks him: 'Can I pray for you?' That's leadership. That's character. That's the kind of thing you can't put on a stat sheet," he wrote.

Pedro's mother, Erica Fontes Guimaraes, replied to Stewart's Instagram post praising God's goodness.

"Sometimes life brings situations that leave our hearts hurting. But in His goodness, God gives us a new perspective and allows us to see through His eyes. And when we do, we realize that His goodness never stops, even in the midst of the hardest moments. It is beautiful how God can turn a disappointment into an opportunity to love, encourage and see one another with compassion," she wrote.

"As a mother, I couldn't let this moment pass without telling you how much your post touched my heart and how much joy it brought me. In the midst of everything we are going through, this moment was a gift from God to us. His goodness never ceases"

Cooper's mother and father received those same gifts last year. The Madeira and the CHCA communities showed compassion that touched their family deeply.

To name a few instances, Redlinger, linebacker coach Kaleb DeTellem and teammate Ayden Fields sat with Cooper in the emergency room. Friends cycled in and out. The CHCA athletic director Ryan Betscher and Beacon Orthopaedics on-field attending Dr. Alberto Maldonado reached out. Stewart and Superintendent Kenji Matsudo stopped by when he came home from the hospital.

Attitude reflects coaching leadership. Besides the ways Renfroe, Stewart and DeTellem have stepped up, Madeira defensive line coach Justin Campbell, a youth pastor at Kenwood Baptist Church, runs a voluntary "Faith and football" group that meets after practice. Cooper is one of many players who attend.

Great people showed up for two great athletes.

"These are two great players and even better people," Renfroe said. "No. 4 got hurt in our game last year and our team prayed for him during his surgery, and then he grabbed Pedro after the game and prayed for him.

"He didn't care who won; he just wanted to love on an injured brother, no matter the jersey color."