SAN FRANCISCO (AP) An Antioch High School football player
remains in critical condition after collapsing following a hard hit
in a game during the weekend.
Chris Hurd, a senior running back for Antioch, collapsed and
lost consciousness Friday night after being hit from the side and
slamming against the artificial surface on a kickoff return during
a game against Ygnacio Valley. School officials said Hurd lost
consciousness but did not stop breathing.
Hurd transferred to Antioch High School this fall after three
years at Clayton Valley High School. He played football at Clayton
Valley as a freshman, but skipped his sophomore and junior seasons
while concentrating on baseball.
Frank Wasskey, nursing supervisor for John Muir Medical Center
in Walnut Creek, said Sunday that Hurd remained in critical
condition but would not say if Hurd had regained consciousness.
``Chris is an outstanding kid. He makes friends with
everybody,'' Antioch coach Ferris Anthony said Sunday in a phone
interview. ``He's a great kid. He's really, really a hard worker.''
Clayton Valley coach Herc Pardi told the Contra Costa Times that
Hurd was not given medical clearance to play football in his
sophomore and junior years because of a previous head injury.
But Fredric L. Webster, a lawyer representing the Hurd family,
said Monday that Hurd never failed to get medical clearance and
that the family decided he would not play football those two years.
Webster also said Hurd transferred to Antioch to be closer to home.
Pardi, who could not be contacted Monday, told the Times that
Hurd played junior varsity baseball at Clayton Valley this past
spring.
``You could tell he loved football,'' Pardi said. ``He followed
our program and he wanted to be a part of it. I was surprised to
see that he was playing football but also excited. A lot of our
players were very close to him. We're just praying for the best.''
Antioch athletic director Bob Fisher told the Times that Hurd
received medical clearance to play football this season.
Anthony said Hurd came off the field on his own after hitting
the field, but returned to the game shortly afterward. After about
six plays, Hurd again came off the field complaining his head hurt,
Anthony said.
Hurd started vomiting on the sideline and was treated by the
school's trainers, then fell to the ground and began going into
convulsions, Anthony said.
But Hurd told the trainers he felt good enough to participate in
postgame handshakes and went back on to the field. During that
ceremony, Hurd collapsed and lost consciousness. He was treated by
firemen and ambulance workers at the scene, then taken to the
hospital.
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)