Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Essential kit: Sprays, bandages and gels
A FIRST aider for the oldest junior football team in Scotland spoke to children at Ancrum Road Primary School about his role.
Mark Dorward has been a first aider for East Craigie FC for two years.
The club is 140 years old and Craigie Park has been its home since 1932. Players on the team are aged between 16 and 35.
As well as playing football, the men also have proper jobs such as a plumber and a joiner.
Mark watches the players during matches to make sure no one gets hurt. If they do he runs on to the park to get them off safely.
The referee stops the game and the other players have to wait while Mark helps the injured player.
He has three bags full of good supplies, sprays, gels and bandages.
He even has a water spray if mud gets into their eyes.
Mark said if someone gets a knock on the head he can normally use ice to get the swelling down.
Sometimes players can carry on playing if the injury is not too bad but they might need to have their injury strapped up to stop it moving about so much. Mark treats neck injuries, blisters, fractures, hamstring tears, muscle cramps and running injuries.
The worst injury he had to deal with was when someone fractured and dislocated their ankle.
He said he uses the PRICE technique to treat players – protection, rest, ice, compression and elevation. Mark is also trained to do CPR.
He works for the team at weekends and does not get paid, he does it from his heart.
Mark said his dad was his inspiration but sadly he died from a rare cancer.