Documentary
Description
Vocal Characteristics
Language
EnglishAccents
North American (General)Transcript
Note: Transcripts are generated using speech recognition software and may contain errors.
Welcome to Shingle Springs, California and Ponderosa High School. I'm Bill Horrendous morning sports anchor on NewsRadio, KFBK and a college basketball analyst. It's been my pleasure to cover many exciting student athletes, and today is no exception, as we profile the inspirational Zack Pickett, who personifies perseverance, resilience, courage and heart. This Izak story. So here we are on the campus, upon the Rosa High School, at the pool where Zack Pickett and his teammates toiled and worked, and one of his mentors, the former water polo coach Alan Miller with the Bruins, joins us in. And, of course, you were around when Zack was developing as a young swimmer in a young water polo player. What can you tell us about his tenacity in the pool and and outside the pool as well? Zack Zack was the quiet one. Older brothers, you know, they have very distinct personalities between the three boys. I mean ones. Penn State, the other ones. Hawaii's Zach has a mix of everybody. I mean, I think you got the boys might disagree, but I think you got the best of all three of them because he know he's good with everything. He became from a junior high player to a freshman to sophomore, and by the time he was a junior, he was a leader. I mean, he was becoming the leader. Leaders of the team. However, that all changed forever on the hot afternoon of August 5th, 2012 when Zack and two of his fellow lifeguards decided to cool off in Cameron Park Lake. Exact. If you could walk us through what happened that afternoon? Yes, it was about day in August. It was about 100 degrees out, so it was pretty hot and eso we went and me and a couple of fellow lifeguards decided, Teoh, go in, get a little refreshment in the lake. And so right over there by the life guard tower we went and dove in and they all dove in. And then I dove in a well end up hitting the bottom. That is how the injury occurred. And, of course, you dives and comes back up and he's on his back and quizzical, and I didn't know what to make. I come back up and I'm fine, Zach still on the side, and he finally said, Oh, no, look, we just looked at each other and finally said, Get the backboard. We need to get this Mrs Recall, Mrs Pickett, which was very It was hard for me to do that, but we got a very quick and scary for me. It's one day at a time, and you've got a look at aggression on 30 days in exact never move his legs on the 31st day has it again. I got all of them. You got him? Yes, man. Yeah, baby. Only link between the teachers and students at this school was Tyson Escobar, school's athletic director. Once I got the phone call and it was during summer, so we were summer break. It's one of those things for it's just It's too unreal to actually believe Zack Pickett. This can happen to him. So one of those things that and my role as a leader here at the school is to give that information to everybody else. And knowing that I had to be strong to the situation was a difficult thing to do because he has such an amazing kid. So now we're joined poolside with Matt Jan, the current boys water polo coach of Ponderosa High School leading the roads. And then how about the teammates reaction toe Have exact back with them and the team dynamics. Yes, Judy approached me about a month Zach's mom about a month before the season started and said that Zach wanted to play and she was really hesitant. And I was like, No, let's just get him in the pool it, see what he's like. He had already been in swimming, and then the first day of practice, when we're doing, you know, are **** week when the kids were, you know, doing their most intense. Zach rolls up in his wheelchair, slides in the pool, starts doing it without a complaint, and you turn your head as a starter on this team. You look at Zach doing that, you're not gonna complain. You're not going to say anything. And so it was. I think it was inspirational. It was fun for his teammates that still have him in the pool. Jack is part of your water, felt very freeing because I didn't have to sit down in my chair and go swim, be free and well, and so I really think that helped a lot just getting back into the water when his leg moved the first time that met so much that he could move and turn himself in bed and didn't have to have a nurse. 24 7 Those little things those little things mean so much it was It's been hard. But we've always felt in our lives that, you know, as parents as well as we've taught our Children that, you know, tough times don't last, but tough people do. And you're gonna get through this, and you're gonna make the best of it. You're gonna go on and have a great life just different than we ever thought it would be. Yeah, I'm really optimistic for him. Um, the fact that 22 months ago he was laying in a hospital bed and he couldn't move his legs to now where he you know, I can't wait for next Friday when he walks across the stage graduation. It's going to be amazing for all of us and for him to set a goal toe walk and walk across the stage at graduation. And he'll accomplish that goal ending a competency. Michael, I think, approved himself that accomplishing, but it's probably worthy of reiteration. that not many folks can successfully in adroitly transition from a brewin to a Trojan. But you're about his arch rival is a Trojan. And so now I'm becoming a Trojan and all right, I'm sure all adapt to it. Be all right with it. You were terrific. Agreed. I'm sure you gonna work. Great. Since the accident give 100% and everything he doesn't. Even if he won't be able to do as he goes forward. He impresses us every single day.