It was the fourth quarter and the game was tied.

While everyone in the stands was looking to see where the ball would be going, sophomore Courtney Johnston was watching the players. On the sideline she was going through the normal motions of every game.

The play started and the referee blew his wrestle. David Wilganowski, a linebacker for the Bryan Rudder football team had fallen to the ground without a single person touching him, lying limp.

Last year as a freshman, Johnston joined Sports Medicine when she thought it would be an interesting extracurricular to do. As a student athletic trainer, she spent the beginning of the year learning how to wrap injuries and what to do in stressful situations. In the fall, the sophomore worked varsity football games. This spring, she’s been on the bench, helping with the varsity girls basketball games.

“I’m still learning, but I’m a fast learner,” Johnston said. “It’s all fun; Knees, elbows, bloody noses- It’s gross, but fun. I feel more useful and not just another water boy.”

The game stopped and all the players went to their side of the field. Johnston went to the players to tend to them and give them water. As she did this she stole glances at the Wilganowski as medics tried to keep him alive.

“I saw that the player wasn’t moving,” Johnston said. “When the trainer turned him over, he looked like a rag doll. I then heard his mother scream.”

Only weeks after learning how to help a player in need did Johnston have to work her first wrestling tournament at Cedar Park. She had to quickly think on her feet when a player dislocated his knee.

“I was really nervous, because it was my first one and it was even more nerve-racking, because I was all alone,” Johnston said. “I knew that I had to stay calm and get that player some help.  It gave me experience for future tournaments. “

All the students went back to their buses as the paramedics drove Wilganowski away to the hospital. Barely anyone spoke all the way back to campus and people constantly were checking to see if there was any news on his condition.

“I was thanking God it wasn’t one of our players and praying he would be okay,” Johnston said. “The coaches told us before we got on the bus that he was responsive. After the two hour bus ride, Doc reassured us that he would be okay.

“It was a realization,” Johnston said. “It made me understand that the trainers saved that boys’ life. That we are not just the water boys everyone says we are. We can save lives if it comes down to it.”