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Boy flown to hospital after getting hurt at practice

By REBECCA CATALANELLO
Published August 3, 2006

TAMPA - A 10-year-old boy was airlifted to St. Joseph's Children's Hospital on Wednesday after he collided with a teammate during youth league football practice.

The child, who lives in Lutz, was complaining of severe neck pain when he was helicoptered just after 7:30 p.m. from Perio Park in the Forest Hills area of North Tampa, said Capt. Bill Wade of Tampa Fire Rescue.

The child's identity was not released.

The boy was practicing with the Carrollwood Cardinals in full gear when he fell, said Wade and Scott Levinson, director of the Tampa Bay Youth Football League.

Another player either fell or stepped on the boy when he was down, Wade said.

Though the child was conscious and alert and able to move all fingers and toes, Wade said, he was flown from the field in "an overabundance of caution."

"In case the boy did suffer from a serious neck injury from the trauma of the impacts, the ride in the helicopter would be smoother and quicker than a ride in the ambulance," he said.

Levinson said word from the boy's coach was that he was doing well and sitting up in bed.

That was reassuring news for a youth football league that lost two players in one week after each of them got sick during practice.

Eleven-year-old Jamell Johnson and 12-year-old Bobby Stephens Jr. died two weeks ago. Jamell, who was practicing with the Nuccio Jaguars when he collapsed, died of heat exhaustion, according to the Medical Examiner's Office. Bobby's cause of death has not been released. He was practicing with the Progress Village Panthers when he told the coach he felt sick.

Levinson said he expects coaches to take all injuries very seriously. What happened at Perio Park on Wednesday night was an example of that.

"I think with what happened a few weeks ago, they're going to be overly precautionary," Levinson said Wednesday night. "And that's fine with me."

[Last modified August 3, 2006, 07:26:13]