We are family; as Kansans, Christians, football fans, supporters of high school athletics. The loss of such a bright light with so much ahead and so much to give is heart breaking.
All too often today we hear of young athletes that are injured or lose their life un-expectantly. The same week a 6th grade football player in practice was running normal training and was taking a break drinking Gatorade. He was setting on his helmet and just fell forward dead. There was two soccer players at Winfield that collided, one was flown to Wichita with a head injury and the other taken to a local hospital with a broken leg.
It is all sad and it is too easy to start ranting and raving about athletics and how these things should not happen. There is nothing I can say that will give comfort to any of the family or friends. I can feel bad about the happenings. I can offer a prayer.
I go back and remember when I played football and wrestled in school. Our physical exams consisted of going to the local Doc’s. He would ask “did you walk in? Are you breathing? pay the receptionist here is your form.”
I don’t know much but as a former EMT I hold the opinion that a simple EKG could find a few of the heart defects that seem to be a large part of the deaths each year. I know that the KSHSAA should give direction to require better screening. I know that a school that can justify $600,000 for an Astro Turf field should consider a little better screening of their athletes.
We can always discuss the shoulda, woulda, coulda’s. But that won’t bring back a great kid or help anyone to grieve.
I have never been to Sharon Springs but feel the loss anyway. I am proud of all the teams around the state that honored number 4 and all the prayers for him and the friends and family.
We have to be satisfied that we won’t know why these things happen. We just know we have to come together as family.
