A junior footballer in Melbourne is recovering in hospital after he was hit in the face with the ball during a suburban game.
Pines Under 19s player Kadel Key collapsed and suffered breathing problems when he was hit during the game against Mt Eliza on Saturday morning.
A doctor performed CPR on the teenager before paramedics arrived and continued treatment at the Eric Bell Reserve in Frankston North, an Ambulance Victoria spokesman said.
He was taken by ambulance to The Alfred hospital in a serious condition, but his condition improved and he remained listed in a stable condition on Sunday evening.
The injury occurred when Key was hit in the face with the ball while trying to block a Mt Eliza player from kicking a goal, said Pines Club president Jeff Svigos.
“It was a freak accident,” he said.
“You see players get hit with the ball all the time, but when he didn’t get up this time it was a bit scary.”
The game was called off when the serious injury occurred near the start of the second quarter.
The club has been in touch with Key and his family.
Officials will talk about what happened with the rest of his team on Monday.
The Mt Eliza Football Club said it was thinking about the player and his family.
“Under 19s game called off just after 1/4 time after Pines player Kadel Key was seriously injured,” the club wrote on its Facebook page.
“Thoughts go out to him and his family!”
The story Junior footy player collapses, game called off first appeared on The Age.
Check out more details of our first aid courses at www.canberrafirstaid.com