Player’s Condition Improves

A Glendale High football player was moved out of intensive care and listed in fair condition Thursday after collapsing and losing consciousness at a practice Wednesday on the school’s athletic field.

Jason Chamberlin, a 6-foot-3, 280-pound 14-year-old, had a temperature of 107 degrees and symptoms related to heatstroke, said Steve Rutledge, spokesman for Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, where Chamberlin was transferred in critical condition Wednesday from Glendale Memorial Hospital. Chamberlin, a sophomore, was unconscious and on a respirator much of Wednesday.

“He was starting to come around late [Wednesday] night,” Rutledge said. “He still had tubes down his throat to help with his breathing, but he was responsive and answering questions. He has been awake, alert and taking in fluids.”

Chamberlin could be released as early as today, Rutledge said. Chamberlin’s family, through the hospital, declined comment.

Glendale Coach Loi Phan said the offensive lineman, who played on the freshman-sophomore team last year, drank water during each of the three scheduled breaks in a two-hour practice that began at 8 a.m. Wednesday.

The high temperature in Glendale was an unseasonably cool 76 degrees Wednesday. Phan said it was much cooler in the morning on the first day of fall practice.

“Every guy would wish for this type of weather during double days,” Phan said.

Chamberlin, who has asthma, participated in most of the conditioning drills but asked if he could get his inhaler after complaining of dizziness, the coach said. After using the inhaler, Chamberlin tried to take part in another drill but fell to his knees moments later and began to roll on the ground.

“He was breathing fast,” said Phan, who said a trainer wasn’t present Wednesday. “We checked to see if he was conscious. We shook him and asked him questions, but we couldn’t get him to answer or respond. So we made the call to 911.”

An ambulance was at the field two to three minutes after the call, Phan said.

Chamberlin kept his inhaler in a bag on the field and Phan said he doubts that asthma played a part in the player losing consciousness. The coach, an asthma sufferer himself, said he makes it a priority for those with that condition to have an inhaler readily available.

Phan said it is the first time a player has collapsed in his 17 years of coaching.

He cautioned about the need for players to hydrate themselves on a daily basis.