Student trainers and the athletic training staff at Broken Arrow High School helped save the life of a coach before the start of the Booker T. Washington game Tuesday night.
The coach, who's name has not yet been released, began suffering from a heart attack inside of the press box as both teams moved to line up for the singing of the national anthem.
Senior Chance Holloway heard someone yelling for help and says he immediately rushed to the scene to provide assistance.
"I ran up here (bleachers). Coach Croft was up there and he said that he was having trouble breathing before and just collapsed," Holloway said.
Holloway started performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation on the coach until the automated external defibrillator arrived.
After two attempts, the athletic training staff managed to ignite the coach's pulse shortly before the paramedics arrived.
Head athletic trainer, Daniel Steward, helped facilitate compressions after the AED arrived and says he and his staff work on similar situations in order to be prepared for anything.
"We are here to also help and try to save lives," Steward said.
Broken Arrow Public Schools has safety courses each August to refresh teachers and coaches on life saving techniques and emergency protocols.
Athletic Director, Ken Ellet, says he's thankful his staff was ready during the strenuous emergency situation.
"Sometimes you sit back and you go, it is really necessary all the stuff that we do? And this year for us it has proven a life saver. Literally," Ellet said.
According to school officials, the coach who suffered from the nearly fatal heart attack is now in stable condition thanks to the bravery of the training staff present during sporting events.
"I was just trained and luckily I knew what I was doing. I think I was just in the right spot at the right time."
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