Two-thirds of the 62 junior varsity and varsity football players at Central High caught the bug. Not to mention a couple of coaches.
By FRANK PASTOR
Published August 26, 2004
BROOKSVILLE - Central High's preseason football game Friday at St. Petersburg Catholic has been canceled because a flu-like bug has kept the Bears from practicing.
Twenty-six players missed school on Monday. Five more were sent home during the day, and three became ill during a brief practice that was stopped after half an hour.
A practice scheduled for Tuesday was canceled after 25 players missed school, leaving only six varsity players available, and a 21-player turnout on Wednesday limited the squad to film work.
In all, 43 of 62 members of the junior varsity and varsity have been affected, coach John Wilkinson said.
"I've never, ever been involved in anything like this or heard of anything like this," Wilkinson said.
Though other students were sent home with similar symptoms, which included fever, vomiting and diarrhea, there is no widespread flu epidemic in Hernando County schools, said Ann Faith, who supervises the district's school health program. The superintendent's office had only one report of an illness outbreak - the one affecting the football team.
School remained in session, and other practices and events went forward as planned, athletic director John Sedlack said.
In discussions with parents who took their children to see doctors, Wilkinson said he was told symptoms could be due to the flu, food poisoning or a stomach virus. He said the problems started Saturday night, but neither he nor Sedlack could trace it to any particular event.
Several students returned to school after two or three days, Sedlack said.
The bug was the latest interruption in the team's schedule. Central lost two practices due to Hurricane Charley and 11/2 because of lightning.
The preseason game will not be rescheduled, giving players time to recuperate before the regular-season opener Sept. 2 against Citrus.
Doctors and trainers at the school fear playing a game with so little practice time will increase the risk of dehydration and injury. There's also the possibility of exposing St. Petersburg Catholic's players.
"This is a day we've got to worry about the kids," Sedlack said. "We can't put the kids out there."
The problem wasn't confined to the players. Assistant coaches Brant Stevens and Tony Roberts became ill on Tuesday.
Wilkinson had more immediate concerns at home. His wife, Maura, gave birth to the couple's first son, Cooper, two weeks ago.
"My wife and I have talked about it, and I'm trying to wash my hands and take care of myself, make sure I don't spread it to my wife or my newborn baby," Wilkinson said. "That's definitely a big concern."
Staff writer Jeffrey S. Solochek contributed to this report.
