South and Terre Haute teams warming up again before the ambulance has left the field

Rumors flew through the student section last Friday night, as a player of the opposing team, Terre Haute North, lay still on the football field, surrounded by athletic trainers, firefighters, and paramedics. 

While the student section knelt down, many were dismayed that the South football team themselves were not taking a knee for the very obviously injured player who many assumed was unconscious. 

Senior Vivian Gill, who was in attendance at the game said, “I think it was disrespectful for our team not to kneel just because the circumstances seemed more serious, and also our entire student section, as well as the opposing team and their bleachers were also kneeling, so it seemed a little disrespectful.”  

However, those involved with the team had different opinions, Assistant Coach Drew Frey doesn’t think the action was disrespectful. Frey said, “Nobody ever wants a player to go down, but, what does [kneeling] do to help the situation? I don’t know that it’s that big of a deal.” He also shares that if it were one of his players instead, he would not expect our team or the opponent’s team to kneel for them. Frey says, “It’s just not something that we’ve ever done.”  

Senior and varsity football player, Miles McKay, said, “It wasn’t supposed to be disrespectful at all it was just being practical- part of it was just listening to the coaches, and then the other part of it was we were just trying to stay loose and keep the muscles fresh in the event we go back out.”  

The players started to warm up again before the ambulance had even driven off the field, and the game resumed immediately after. 

McKay says, “It kind of makes you wonder what caused it and that it could happen to you, but I’m just being thankful it hasn’t been me and just praying for the kid to be okay.”

Assistant Coach Justin Byers talked with Terre Haute’s coach the following day at the JV game. Byers said, “I asked him immediately how the kid was doing and he said he’s fine, he got a stinger which kinda jars your neck and pinches a nerve… so his hands and feet kinda went numb,” Byers said, debunking the rumors that the player was unconscious. 

Terre Haute North is hoping to get him back and playing in about a week.