Middle School Coaches Save Life of Student-Athlete

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A day of afternoon recreation at Danny Jones Middle School turned into a terrifying moment last Friday after one of the players passed out on the football field.

“I didn’t think anything of it. I thought he just slipped and fell,” said eighth-grader Nathan Bennett. “But then he wasn’t responding, so we called the coaches over.”

A nearby coach had already noticed Jeffrey Cotton on the ground and knew something was not right.

“I immediately began checking for any vitals,” said Shawn Alsup, a teacher and coach at the school. “I was tapping him on the cheek and said, ‘Hey, Jeffrey. Jeffrey, can you hear me? Jeffrey, can you hear me?' And I wasn’t getting anything.”

That’s when the coaches sprang into action. David Sawyer rushed to call 9-1-1, Stephen Varcardipone alerted the crisis team, Shawn Alsup started conducting CPR chest compressions and Edward King ran in to get the automated external defibrillator (AED) in hopes of regaining the student’s vital signs.

Coaches routinely visited Cotton in the hospital.

The coaches said everyone seamlessly worked together to revive the 13-year-old.

The school nurse later helped to administer the AED, and the students blocked off traffic and guided the ambulance to the field.

“He was not with us,” said Coach King. “It shocked him, and his chest jumped, and Coach Alsup went back to compressions again. So it was like, ‘Is this machine going to work?’ And it gave him another shock. I think at that point, we started to feel the pulse.”

The ambulance arrived and transported Cotton to a local hospital. Doctors said the quick thinking of everyone involved is what helped save the eighth-grader’s life.

It’s something that Coach Sawyer said is making him more grateful for Mansfield ISD’s annual trainings that all coaches must attend.

“We have to give a shoutout to the district,” Sawyer added. “We are all well trained in AED use, CPR and first aid. We kind of scoff at it, and this is one of those times when you say, “I’ll never scoff at it again.’”

Sawyer said Cotton is recovering well. The student successfully underwent surgery to implant a defibrillator for is enlarged heart. Coaches said they are glad he is getting back to his normal self.

School Nurses: More Than Bumps and Bruises

Members of the MISD Health Services team
said they love what they do.

School nurses are an important part of the education system that people often don’t think about until they need them.

That’s why Mansfield ISD would like to join other districts across the nation to celebrate School Nurse Day and remember the men and women who make the health of our students, staff, and families a priority.

“We have the opportunity to heal the mind, soul, heart, and body of everyone with which we come into contact,” said Ted Cross, MISD director of health services. “Nurses are often overlooked, but never unappreciated.”

MISD schools are staffed with full-time registered nurses dedicated to provide every student with individualized health care. Cross said people would be surprised to know the help school nurses give on a daily basis.

Each MISD campus is equipped with
"Go Kits" to take on school field trips.

“When kids don’t have glasses, we help with that. We have a large amount of community resources that we are able to tap into to benefit our students,” Cross continued.

MISD nurses prove that they are more than health care professionals. They have a calling to heal others and teach healthy practices.

“When you have a common goal and you see everyone actively working toward this, it’s inspiring,” said Laurie James, nurse at Lake Ridge High School. “It’s a very collaborative environment with my school nurse peers.”

Although May 11 is dedicated to the recognition of school nurses nationwide, MISD would like to let all its health professionals know that their willingness to serve does not go unnoticed.

“I would like them to know that we appreciate the sincerity and caring attitude they have for our students and staff. They go above and beyond,” said Cross.

Elementary Coach Still Making Big Strides After Heart Surgery

It’s no surprise to see dozens of students running laps at Annette Perry Elementary School after school on Mondays.

When Deidra Zschiesche started Annette Perry’s running club three years ago, she didn’t know what to expect. All she knew is that she loved running, and wanted to spread that love to her elementary school students.

Deidra Zschiesche coaching her running club.

The enthusiasm certainly caught on. The club has nearly 100 students who participate every week. That’s more than 25 percent of the total school population!

The P.E. teacher had been running all of her life, so it came as a big surprise when Zschiesche had a medical episode in 2013 and discovered, on Thanksgiving Day, that she had a tumor attached to her heart.

“It was something that the doctors said I probably had since birth,” said Zschiesche. “The tumor was making my heart work very hard just to breathe.”

A month later, the coach underwent surgery to remove the cardiac tumor. After eight weeks of recovery, Zschiesche laced up her running shoes and continued doing what she loved most. The surgery was so successful that Zschiesche ran the fastest half marathon of her life about nine weeks after her surgery.

Coach Zschiesche talking about her passion for running.

“It felt great,” said Zschiesche. “It was like I had a load off my chest.”

The students in the running club were happy to have their coach back. With her motivation, many of the kids also participate in local races.

“I love her as a coach,” said Mason Foreman, fourth grader at Annette Perry. “She’s helped me through a lot of things.”

“I’ve been running since I was in kindergarten here,” said Brianna Fosnaugh, second grader. “She’s the best P.E. teacher I’ve ever had.”

Zschiesche now has a different take on life and she hopes her story will inspire others to not waste a single second of life.

“Live life to the fullest,” said Zschiesche. “Do things that make you happy because life’s too short.”

A Drive to Save Lives

Legacy seniors Haley Jones (left) and McKenzie Johnson (right)
donating blood for the first time.

Saving a life can be as easy as donating a little bit of your time—and blood. That’s what students at Legacy High School discovered.

The school’s Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) group partnered with Carter BloodCare to organize a blood drive Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Lashandra Bible, a representative for Carter BloodCare, said drives like the one held at Legacy are very important to the organization’s blood bank supply.

“The majority of the blood we get comes from our high schools. We get dozens of participants from schools all across North Texas. We’ve gotten over 1,000 donors in one day at certain locations.”

A few of the high school participants were first-time donors who wanted to take advantage of the yearly event.

“I wasn’t old enough last year [to give blood without consent],” said McKenzie Johnson, senior at Legacy. "This year, I wanted to come out and make a difference because I know my blood will help someone in need. It’s for a good cause.”

Carter BloodCare needs 1,100 donors daily to keep up with supply. Approximately one pint of blood is drawn from each donor, and the procedure takes about five to 10 minutes.

For those who are too needle-shy to go out and give blood, senior Haley Jones gave some words of advice.

“Don’t think of your fears. Just think of the lives that you’ll be saving.”

For more information on the blood donation center nearest you, visit the Carter BloodCare website.