Deadly Sport

This high school football season has not started off very well when you talk about the health of player.

Two weeks ago, a Chapel Hill High School football player died at home after practice from dehydration. He called 911 for help and a medical team came to his home and gave him medical treatment. Sometime during the day, the player died at home after the medical team had left without transporting him to the hospital.

This past weekend, a R.J. Reynolds player from Winston-Salem died from head trauma received while playing in a game. His parents had to make a decision about taking him off life support after the doctors told them he was brain dead.

I read last week that football has been replaced by another high school sport as the most dangerous - Cheerleading

That's right, cheerleading has more injuries every year than any other high school sport. It occurs mostly from the cheerleading teams that go to competitions and take risk trying certain stunts to impress judges.

Just a couple of years ago, I was doing a game in Tarboro when I heard a thump in the press box. Now you have to know that the thump had to be loud in order for me to hear it in the press box, while 800 people were watching a football game. It turned out that one of the Tarboro cheerleaders hit her head on the track from a fall. I think within a week she was back at practice.

I even remember within the last five years that a visiting cheerleader got hurt during a playoff basketball game in the Rocky Mount gym after falling.

It hasn't been that long ago that a Carolina cheerleader was injured while doing a stunt at the Smith Center.

We all understand that injuries happen to football players because of the physical contact of the game.

You have to give the cheerleaders credit in the faith that they give to their teammates who they expect to catch them whenever they do one of their backwards dives into the arms of a waiting teammate.

So the next time during the timeouts and the cheerleaders start performing while the players on the field, take a break remember what they do is more dangerous than those guys on the field wearing all of that equipment.

The next football game at Gryphon Stadium is Wednesday night as the JV team cranks up its season to add to its 21-game winning streak against Hunt High. I'll be in the press box, but it will be doing the PA .

Remember at least twice during the game, we will announce the cheerleaders names. Give them a loud cheer as if they had just scored a touchdown because they are working hard too ...