The Limestone Coast Women’s Football League Friday night round was marred by a serious injury to a young player.
The first match in a double header at Casterton was not completed, while the second game was abandoned, after an incident in the third quarter.
Nangwarry vice captain Jasmine Rohrlach suffered a severe head knock during play, which forced the game to be paused while she received medical treatment.
The situation escalated after it was determined a rescue helicopter needed to be called to Island Park, with the chopper landing on the oval.
The match between Nangwarry and Kybybolite failed to restart, while officials were forced to also call off the second match between Casterton Sandford and North Gambier, given the time that had lapsed.
Nangwarry coach Adam Blom said it was a “very scary situation” on the field, which left the players and crowd shocked.
“She tried to stand up and collapsed and started having a seizure, she had multiple seizures,” he said.
“There were team trainers as well as nurses from Casterton and North who were both players, they stabilised her till paramedics came, but she continued to have seizures and a decision was made to call in a helicopter from Warrnambool and they flew her to hospital in Geelong,” he said.
“Initially it looked fairly innocuous, it did not look like much in it, she tried to stand up and then collapsed and started having a seizure, it affected the players and me as well, but the quick action from everyone at the oval put us at ease.
“I have never experienced anything like that in my football career, and just from me personally having that helpless feeling of not knowing and not being able to assist one of your players when they are in the middle of the oval surrounded by so many trainers and medical professionals, and then trying to get around to as many of my players to make sure they were okay, some were in tears and some were in shock.
“It was just the unknown, that was the scary part, messages were being relayed back to us and to the crowd as much as they could, but no one really knew what was happening.
Blom, who plays for Kalangadoo in the Mid South Eastern League, said Rohrlach had since returned home and had been speaking with teammates.
“On behalf of our club I would like to thank everyone involved for their quick action, it was multiple people from all the teams, all the trainers from the different teams and nurses from the other teams were out there as quickly as possible,” he said.
“The way that everyone worked together made sure the situation went as smoothly as it could, it showed how quickly and how willingly the community comes together when it is an incident like that.
“I’d like to thank everyone involved and everyone at the ground for putting Jasmine’s interests first, trying to get on top of a situation that was scary for everyone.
“It happened in the latter part of the third quarter, our game was abandoned from them on, as was the following game, thank you to the North and Casterton teams for their understanding of the situation and it was unfortunate they could not get their game, hopefully they can have a catch up round and get to play at a later stage.”
