[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22″ custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px” fb_built=”1″ bb_built=”1″ _i=”0″ _address=”0″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.29.3″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px” _i=”0″ _address=”0.0″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” _i=”0″ _address=”0.0.0″ custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_video src=”https:\/\/youtu.be\/6PaaEyiaslw” _builder_version=”3.29.3″ _i=”0″ _address=”0.0.0.0″]
\n[\/et_pb_video][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22″ custom_padding=”2px|0px|37.9062px|0px” fb_built=”1″ bb_built=”1″ _i=”1″ _address=”1″][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_3,1_3″ _builder_version=”3.29.3″ custom_margin=”10px|||” custom_padding=”0px|0px|18.9531px|0px” _i=”0″ _address=”1.0″][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” _i=”0″ _address=”1.0.0″ custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”News Story” _builder_version=”3.29.3″ custom_margin=”0px||0px|” _i=”0″ _address=”1.0.0.0″]<\/p>\n
University of South Carolina football tight end, Kiel Pollard, is still finding ways to support his team following a pre-season injury that threatened to keep him on the sidelines.<\/p>\n
Entering<\/span> the 2019 football season, Pollard was in line to be the South Carolina Gamecocks’ starting tight end, according to the pre-season depth chart.<\/p>\n However, this all took an unexpected turn in early August when the senior suffered a lower neck fracture after putting his head down during a hit in practice. The hit caused a bone chip on his lower neck, close to the top of his spine.<\/p>\n Pollard went to the doctor for an MRI after team trainers advised him he would probably be ruled out of play for 6-8 weeks. But, after the MRI, Pollard says things got suspicious.<\/p>\n \u201cI knew something was up when, after the MRI, they kept calling me to come back to take more pictures, because the doctor said he wanted to see more,\u201d Pollard said.<\/p>\n The doctors discovered a cyst on his spinal cord, but it was not from the hit. They\u00a0determined it had likely been on his spine since he was a child.<\/p>\n \u201cI was not ready for that information. That one blindsided me,”\u00a0said Pollard, shaking his head, “caught me off guard.”<\/p>\n Pollard said initially, after the hit, he had tingling in his hands and feet, but it later went away. He\u00a0said he thought this was normal for what players refer to as a “stinger” in practice.<\/p>\n “When I went to see the doctors, they told me it was unbelievable I still had all of the feeling in my hands, because of the size of the cyst that was on my spinal cord,” said Pollard.<\/p>\n While Pollard considered himself lucky to still have all of the feeling, doctors told him if he continued playing, he would be at a much higher risk of losing sensation. He was told it was far too dangerous for him to continue playing football.<\/p>\n Pollard visited team doctors with the Atlanta Falcons and the Carolina Panthers for multiple opinions, and all revealed the same thing.<\/p>\n Pat Casey, a physical therapist who specializes in sports injuries, explained why continuing to play with the cyst is\u00a0so dangerous.<\/p>\n \u201cWorst case scenario for him, it\u2019s complete paralysis of arms and limbs, of trunk as well. Your breathing muscles are connected to the nerves that come out of your neck as well,\u201d explained Casey. \u201cBut, it is a lot more complications in terms of just normal day-to-day activities and functioning, and losing sensation.\u201d<\/p>\n Two months later, Pollard is still struggling with this news that he can no longer play the sport he loved since he was 3-years-old, but he’s still finding ways to contribute.<\/p>\n He is now a student assistant coach for the team, working as the \u201cdo-boy\u201d for all of the coaches, doing anything and everything they need. He still attends every practice and is carrying out his dream to\u00a0become a coach after his playing career ended.<\/p>\n “I think it\u2019ll get better,\u201d expressed Pollard. \u201cI knew that God had a plan for me and being on the football field with the football pads on was no longer my calling.\u201d<\/p>\n When Pollard graduates in December, he will go on to graduate school at South Carolina, pursuing a master\u2019s in education technology and working as a graduate assistant for the football team.<\/p>\n Pollard encourages anyone going through similar situations to take advantage of everything they learn and to apply them towards other dreams.<\/p>\n \u201cJust try to find your own little path and tunnel to be who you are,\u201d said Pollard.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” _i=”1″ _address=”1.0.1″ custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”http:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/pollard-coachign-one.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”on” show_bottom_space=”off” align_tablet=”center” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” admin_label=”Image 1″ _builder_version=”3.29.3″ custom_margin=”||2px|” custom_padding=”|||” animation_style=”slide” box_shadow_style=”preset2″ box_shadow_horizontal=”4px” box_shadow_vertical=”4px” always_center_on_mobile=”on” _i=”0″ _address=”1.0.1.0″]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”Caption 1″ _builder_version=”3.29.3″ text_font=”|600|||||||” text_font_size=”12px” text_line_height=”1.4em” custom_margin=”8px|||2px” custom_padding=”|||” _i=”1″ _address=”1.0.1.1″]<\/p>\n Kiel Pollard coaches on the sidelines during a home game at Williams-Brice Stadium. Credit: USC Gamecock Athletics<\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Gamecock football player finds new hope after devastating diagnosis. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":201,"featured_media":26232,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":" (Coming into)<\/span> Entering<\/strong><\/span> the 2019 football season, Kiel Pollard was expected expected by whom? and how do you corroborate this?<\/span> to be the South Carolina Gamecocks number one tight end.<\/p> Coaches also said who did the coaches say this to? did you record those comments personally? which coaches, exactly?<\/span> he was one of the most reliable players on special teams.<\/p> However, (in early August)<\/span> this all took an unexpected turn in early August when the <\/strong>senior tight end suffered a C-6 vertebrae the general public doesn't know what a C-6 vertebrae neck fracture is, so you need to explain that in everyday terms.<\/span> neck fracture after putting his head down during a hit in practice.<\/p> He went to the doctor to get an MRI, expecting be out 6-8 weeks, which is common for a neck fracture who says this is common for a neck fracture? You're not qualified as a reporter to offer that statistic so you need a medical source or trainer<\/span>.<\/p> But, after the MRI, Pollard says things got suspicious.<\/p> \u201cI knew something was up when after the MRI they kept calling me to come back to take more pictures, because the doctor said he wanted to see more,\u201d said Pollard.<\/p> They doctors?<\/span> found a cyst on his spinal cord, but it was not from the hit. They doctors?<\/span> determined it had likely been on his spine since he was a child so what did that diagnosis mean exactly? what is the typical prognosis? can it not be treated?<\/span><\/p> \u201cI was not ready for that information, that one blindsided me, caught me off guard,\u201d said Pollard, shaking his head. the previous sentence is a run-on.<\/span><\/p> He was told it was far too dangerous for him to continue playing football why is that? responding to some of the questions above might resolve this question as well.<\/span><\/p> He visited team doctors with the Atlanta Falcons and the Carolina Panthers for multiple opinions, all telling him the same thing.<\/p> Pat Casey, a physical therapist who specializes in sports injuries, explained why it what?<\/span> is so dangerous.<\/p> \u201cWorst case scenario for him, it\u2019s complete paralysis of arms and limbs, of trunk as well. Your breathing muscles are connected to the nerves that come out of your neck as well,\u201d explained Casey. \u201cBut, it is a lot more complications in terms of just normal day-to-day activities and functioning, and losing sensation.\u201d<\/p> Two months later, Pollard is still struggling with this news that he can no longer play the sport he loved since he was 3-years-old.<\/p> \u201cI think it\u2019ll get better,\u201d expressed Pollard. \u201cI knew that God had a plan for me and being on the football field with the football pads on was no longer my calling.\u201d<\/p> He says he always dreamed he would become a coach after his playing career ended.<\/p> Pollard is now getting to do so, while also staying involved with Gamecock football.<\/p> He is now a student assistant coach for the team, working as the \u201cdo-boy\u201d for all of the coaches what exactly is a \"do-boy?\" yes, it's strongly implied but not an everyday term, so you need to explain to readers exactly what he means by that.<\/span><\/p> When Pollard graduates in December, he will go on to graduate school here at South Carolina, getting a master\u2019s in education technology and working as a graduate assistant for the football team.<\/p> Pollard encourages anyone going through similar situations to take advantage of everything they learn and to apply them towards other dreams.<\/p> \u201cJust try to find your own little path and tunnel to be who you are,\u201d said Pollard.<\/p>","_et_gb_content_width":""},"categories":[46,69,66],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26084"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/201"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26084"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26084\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26646,"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26084\/revisions\/26646"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26232"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26084"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26084"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26084"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}