Rams visit Children’s Hospital

LITTLE ROCK — Lakeside’s football team made a memorable stop last month before their penultimate regular season game.

The Rams and head coach Jared McBride toured Arkansas Children’s Hospital prior to their 5A-South conference game against Little Rock McClellan.

Juniors and seniors on the team visited the transport area of the hospital’s Angel One Program, which began in 1978 as the

Arkansas Newborn Transport Service. The patient transportation program originally operated with only one ambulance and a mission to save premature babies. Arkansas Children’s Hospital owns its own helicopters and operates its own airline certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration.

Sophomores visited the hospital’s therapy pool. The Gerald Hamra Memorial Pool was built in 1986 to allow children with special needs a unique and fun way to enjoy the water. It was modeled after the swimming pool used in the 1972 Summer Olympic Games held in Munich, Germany.

The therapy pool is available through the rehabilitation department as a part of outpatient therapy. It is controlled by a hydraulic lift moving at a speed of one foot per minute and the floor can be raised and lowered for use at a selected depth.

The entire team gathered on the rooftop playground and visited the South Wing Atrium to send encouraging waves to patients. Players also gave highfives to patients they saw.

Sophomores Daniel Gaston and Logan White attended the Little Rock Touchdown Club meeting on Oct. 29 with Dea Ann Richard, a supporter of the Rams and the hospital. David Bazzel, president of the club, recognized the team and said it was a first for a state high school football team to visit the hospital’s campus in Little Rock.

The keynote speaker of the meeting was former All-American Arkansas safety Steve Atwater. He was voted All-Pro seven times in the NFL.

Atwater finished his career in 1999 with the New York Jets, but he played for the Denver Broncos from 1989-98. Denver won the Super Bowl in each of Atwater’s last two seasons with the team.

Lakeside lost to McClellan, but won the following week, 3532, against rival Hot Springs. The Rams exited the first round of the Class 5A playoffs with a 41-27 loss at Blytheville.

Submitted photo LAKESIDE ONE: Lakeside football players visited Arkansas Children Hospital’s transport area last month and learned about the Angel One Program.

Submitted photo RAM BOOST: Lakeside football players greeted patients and toured areas of Arkansas Children’s Hospital last month on a visit to the Little Rock campus before a their game against Little Rock McClellan.