Young Vallejo Boy Paralyzed In Shooting Returns To Football Field As Coach
VALLEJO (KPIX 5) – The Vallejo Junior Jaguars on Friday were getting in their final practice before Saturday's first regular season game. But life back on the football field is different for Kumar Polk.
Kumar is calling plays instead of running the ball. "Yes, I miss it a really lot," he told KPIX 5.
Less than five months ago, two stray bullets hit Kumar in the kidney and injured his spinal cord. "I was in the hospital three months and one day," he said.
Kumar even celebrated his 8th birthday in the hospital. But the injuries couldn't stop him from rejoining his team, the Junior Jaguars, where they won the division championship two years ago.
"It was fun playing football," he said.
Coach David Bernstine of the Junior Jaguars said, "The first day he came out here, I gave him a whistle and said, 'Kumar, you're on the coaching staff.'"
Kumar's mom, Jelisa Williams, says it's helping him heal physically and mentally. "Just to keep him kind of motivated. He was in the hospital with the mindset that he'll never do anything again and life is ruined," Williams said.
Doctors say Kumar will never be able to walk again. But the 8-year-old is determined to one day be on the field and play football. "I feel like I can be on the team again," he said.
The focus for now is winning the first game. His initial and number will be on game jerseys this season.
Police are still following leads in the April drive-by shooting that injured Kumar. They aren't sure why the gunmen opened fire into a large crowd of people that evening.