East Kilbride Rugby Club boss Allan Steel has offered thoughts and prayers to club coach Alan Sleigh after he was put into an induced coma with COVID-19.
Steel says everybody at the club is taking the coronavirus threat seriously after the backs coach tested positive two weeks ago, and an under-14 player returned a positive case last week, closing the Torrance House club.
Steel says while the youngster is okay and just self-isolating, they are much more concerned about club stalwart Sleigh.
He said: “The wee boy is okay, I think he’s just positive, but Alan Sleigh, who was coaching last year with me, who was my backs coach, he’s in a coma in a serious condition.
“He has no underlying health issues but he got COVID a few weeks back and they put him in an induced coma on a ventilator for five days, it was meant to be, but that has been over two weeks now.
“That’s close to all the boys as well because he’s been coaching for two years, he’s been a club player, coach all his days, and is in his mid-50s. Everyone’s voting for him to come through but it’s a waiting game just now.
“That has made people realise a wee bit more about social distancing, because I do believe people take it for granted, and that’s maybe opened up a lot of our eyes to the situation.
“All the players and coaches’ prayers and thoughts are with him to get better, but it’s just a waiting game at the moment.
“That’s made us all accept the situation a bit more about not playing rugby because we’re realised how serious it can be. You’ve been hearing about it, but not about people who are close to you, so that’s the situation.
“We understand the situation but still try to do training through the guidelines, follow that and try to keep the boys interested, that’s the main thing.”
On Wednesday last week, East Kilbride Rugby Club revealed they had "suspended all rugby activities at the club with immediate effect until further notice" after a young player tested positive for the virus.
Sleigh's case is understood not linked to the club itself.
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