A 6-year-old son of a Centennial High assistant football coach was improving Wednesday, March 27, a day after he suffered serious injuries in a collision with players during a varsity practice on campus, a Corona-Norco Unified School District official said.
The boy was airlifted to Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital, where he was “making progress,” said Bill Gunn, the district’s coordinator of athletics. Gunn said he has been in indirect contact with the family.
“We are going to be reviewing the protocols (about who is on the field), but our focus right now is supporting the family, the child and the players,” Gunn said.
The accident happened around 4:40 p.m. The boy had been tagging along with his father, a longtime assistant who the district declined to identify, when he wandered off, Gunn said. He wound up “sandwiched” between two offensive linemen who were blocking each other during a drill, and then one of the linemen landed on him, Gunn said.
“These are not small humans,” Gunn said.
Trainers and others rushed to the boy’s side. Corona Fire Department paramedics treated him before he was flown to the hospital, Gunn said.
Players, coaches and administrators have visited the boy in the hospital, Gunn said. Centennial Principal Henry Romero reached out to the parents of the football players who were involved.
Counseling has been offered to players and coaches, Gunn said.
“Our hearts go out to the family and we want to do everything we can to support them,” said Evita Tapia Gonzalez, a district spokeswoman.
