Xavier senior Kaiden Cuevas turns injuries into possible career

CEDAR RAPIDS - Xavier senior Kaiden Cuevas dedicated a majority of his life to sports, but after three different knee injuries he has decided to stop playing and focus on training other athletes.

'My body and injuries forced me out of playing sports,” Cuevas said. 'The hardest thing to do was accept that I needed to stop playing because it was the best thing for me.”

Cuevas was one of those athletes who did not have much free time because he was involved in football, track and baseball. But when he did, he spent a majority of it training for whichever sport came next.

'Over time, people saw me working out when I was not in-season,” he said. 'They started asking me for advice on ways they could get better in their particular sport and if I could help them do it.

'I decided that I could turn my knowledge of sports and training into something that could make me money and bring me happiness at the same time.”

In order to make this a reality, Cuevas became a certified trainer and began his own business, Peak Performance, on April 3. As of right now, Cuevas does not have a set physical location for his business, but will find outside locations that work best for his athletes.

'I am willing to train kids of any age and style,” Cuevas said. 'The plan is, with my guidance, to help athletes achieve their goals.

'I want to help people make it where I could not, and I know with the right leader, it can happen.”

After three knee surgeries, Cuevas understands the importance of taking care of the body.

'Each athlete is different, so I will create a workout around each individual athlete by breaking down their strengths and weaknesses,” he said. 'I also know how important mental toughness is, so that will come before all physical toughness.”

While Cuevas hopes to impact those he works with, he already has left a mark on those around him.

'I am so proud of Kaiden because he has already learned how to make the best out of a bad situation,” Cuevas' mother, Penny Danly, said. 'He could have easily just let the bad in, but he flipped it and brought the good forward by taking what he has learned and experienced from his injuries and putting it to good use.”

Although Cuevas no longer is going to be playing any sports, Danly believes her son will continue to prove to people that anything is possible.

If anyone is interested in training with Cuevas, you can email him at kaiden_cuevas@yahoo.com.