Parents of West Potomac football players met this week with Coach Eric Henderson for a parent’s meeting. The first order of business was about a fellow player — Ritchie Math, who would have served as the varsity football captain this year had he not torn his ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) and damaged his meniscus during a summer football camp.
He is scheduled for surgery Sept. 1; there will be no football season for him this year. However, as disappointed as they may be, Henderson and others have put it behind them and are looking ahead to Math’s future. Henderson said that several colleges have already been looking at him and they want to make sure that he will be strong enough to play the following year. Sue Harris, mother of Jimmy Arrington, said that he is being looked at by Georgia Tech, Yale and Iowa State.
Math will not have the advantage of showcasing his talents this year on the field, but Henderson is hoping to use some connections to make sure that the scouts don’t overlook him. He is confident that Math will be as strong or even stronger once he has the surgery.
Math has been living with his 21-year-old sister since his mother died last August. With only Medicaid to cover his health insurance costs, funds are needed to pay for the operating room, anesthesia and pre and post-operative care including physical therapy. Orthopedic surgeon Dr. George Branche has agreed to perform the operation, accepting whatever Medicaid agrees to pay.
To help defray the costs, Harris has set up a surgical fund to collect money for Math’s expenses. She will also coordinate fundraising events.
Henderson said that Math really pulled the team together and was the player they could count on to keep everybody’s spirits up.