Dowling Catholic Athletic Trainer Blake Willey wasn't originally scheduled to travel with the freshman football team for its game against Waterloo West.
He decided to go anyway.
That decision became much more important when freshman football coach Claude Wilkins suffered cardiac arrest while the team was traveling to the game.
After the bus pulled over and 911 was called, Willey immediately began CPR.
“The good thing about it is that our trainer was there,” Dowling assistant varsity coach Aundra Meeks said. “Blake was there and originally was not scheduled to go to the game with the freshman, and so he just jumped on the bus and said, ‘Yeah, let’s go!’”
“Thank goodness he was right there on the bus to conduct emergency help at that time.”
Wilkins was transported to MercyOne Waterloo, where he underwent surgery and had stents placed in his heart. Meeks later reported that Wilkins was stable, although his recovery is expected to take time.
The freshman game was canceled as players and coaches waited for updates.
For many of Dowling's older players, Wilkins wasn't simply another coach. Most had played for him as freshmen. Before the varsity team took the field against Waterloo West, players and coaches gathered to pray for him.
Meeks also used the experience to highlight something Athletic Trainers understand well: emergencies don't wait for a convenient time or place.
They can happen on a field, in an athletic training room — or on a bus traveling to a game.
And when this emergency happened, an Athletic Trainer was there and prepared to respond.
Sometimes, showing up can mean more than anyone could have imagined.