The footage of little 4-year-old Caden Thomas getting bowled over by a Colorado State University football player last Saturday has been beamed around the world thanks to the marvels of television and the Internet. As of Wednesday afternoon, versions of it had been viewed more than 100,000 times on YouTube.
It’s produced the proverbial 15 minutes of fame for the tot and the player, wide receiver George Hill, who have appeared on CBS’s “The Early Show,” NBC’s “Today” show, FOX and CNN. But it’s also prompting questions at water coolers and websites among those who want to know why a youngster was allowed on the playing surface during a game in the first place.
Others have wondered why a parent would think that a football field was a safe environment for Caden. With someone as young as four years, there’s no way to be certain that a child would be following the action so intently that he’d see danger closing in on him. And even if he did, would he have the agility to get out of the way?
The collision came during Saturday’s annual spring intrasquad scrimmage in Fort Collins. A youth football festival also was held there that day, and some of the children were allowed onto the field. Caden was wandering along the back of the end zone with his father, Dr. Michael Thomas, when Hill stretched out for a touchdown catch. His momentum carried him into the boy. It was a scary scene, but despite the force of collision, the resilient youngster walked away with no severe injuries or neurological damage. He does have 30 stitches across his forehead that will serve as a reminder of the event, along with an autographed team football.
Hill’s instincts were impressive as he tried to keep Caden’s head from hitting the padded wall. He’s earned the plaudits that came his way for the immediate concern he showed for the boy, cradling him and handing him to an official.
CSU officials estimate there were about 50 children on the sidelines during Saturday’s scrimmage. Since it wasn’t a regular-season game, there was little security to keep people off the playing surface. Next year, a spokesman said, the university’s rules for the spring game will be the same as any regular-season game – children under 18 years old won’t be allowed on the turf, and those who are there will be by invitation only.
That sounds reasonable, especially if adults aren’t going to exercise their own responsibility to keep young ones off the field and out of harm’s way.
