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NewsSunday, October 14, 2007 11:37 PM CDT
Tri-Point senior, football player passes away
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CULLOM — Football practice Thursday at Tri-Point High School was routine — but a few hours later everything changed drastically.

Head football coach Will Patterson got a phone call early Friday morning. He heard one of his players, Bradley M. Balazs, an 18-year-old senior from rural Cabery, had died.

“A family friend called — he (Balazs) had passed away, apparently of a seizure,” Patterson said.

The young man died late Thursday night at an area hospital.

“I hung up the phone and wasn’t sure it was real,” Patterson said, adding, “His family wanted me to know before I got to school.”

The high school has just 180 students, so Balazs’ death hit the entire community hard.

“They (school officials) had a short assembly (Friday morning) and told the kids,” Patterson said.

Counseling also was made available.

“Bradley is a good kid,” Patterson said. “He and I got along pretty well.

“As a football player, Bradley had one gear, and that was full speed,” the coach said of the linebacker/running back. “You give him an assignment, and he goes full speed. That’s the way he did pretty much everything.”

The team forfeited its game Friday night at St. Joseph-Ogden. “You just can’t pull it together,” Patterson said.

“Thursday at practice everything was fine. There was no indication anything was wrong,” Patterson said.

“Obviously, it’d been very hard. There’s a lot of hurt here,” he said. “Nobody thought that was going to happen.”

The team met Friday morning to talk and pray.

“It was an awfully quiet group,” the coach said. “They’re just in shock.”

He suggested his players spend time with family after school Friday. He said he told them: “Go home and give your mom and dad a hug, because you just never know.”

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Reader comments on this story - 13 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

MOM wrote on Nov 15, 2007 9:32 AM:

" Bradley was a wonderful boy.He was my sunshine.He was always there when I needed him.He was taught to treat people the way he wanted to be treated,and he did just that.I miss him so much.I love you Brad.I use to love watching him play football. He played with his whole heart and sole, as he did with everything he loved.He loved everyone and told them often.Forever in my heart. Watch over me. "

classmate... wrote on Oct 22, 2007 7:52 PM:

" it hit everyone very hard. My friends and i actually didnt really believe Brad had actually died until we saw his body in the casket. I will never forget brad. He was such a loving guy. "One of a kind" R.I.P Brad Balazs "

Jesse wrote on Oct 16, 2007 5:31 AM:

" Football was important for Brad, he tried hard to be as good as he could be, in all that he did. Brad will be greatly missed by our family. I do feel that way too much importance is given to the game, or football, or sports in general, in our society. "

Football Fan wrote on Oct 15, 2007 10:56 PM:

" The game was ruled a forfeit, but really, who cares. There is more to life than wins and losses and this is certainly a perfect example of that. The game had no playoff implications for Tri-Point. It does for St. Joseph-Ogden, thus the reason for the forfeit. As far as rescheduling the game, it is not possible. SJO has a week nine game and then the playoffs begin. This story really is not about the game, but about a horrible tragedy and a young life lost way too soon. Prayers to the family of this young man. "

Alicia wrote on Oct 15, 2007 10:51 PM:

" Brad was a great guy. He always would make me laugh. Even though he was a goof ball, he had a huge heart and was there for everyone. Brad tried his hardest at a lot of things and acheived most of them. He was a great football player and a great friend to a lot of people. He will deffinitely be missed. He will always remain in my heart. "

Rogers wrote on Oct 15, 2007 10:25 PM:

" Im an 8th grade student at tri-point. I didnt really know Brad, but i did know that he was a great guy. He was often talked about and he was friends with everyone. He was a great athlete and great student. He will never be forgotten.. "

Anonymous wrote on Oct 15, 2007 7:37 AM:

" St. Joe did not make them forfeit. The game was simply cancelled. No win, no loss. "

TDOG wrote on Oct 14, 2007 9:57 PM:

" I find it hard that ST JOE would make them forfeit? Anyon eknow this for sure. Thye surely asked if they could play it another day?? Prayers go out to the family and friends of this young man. "

Too bad wrote on Oct 14, 2007 9:02 PM:

" I think it is truly unfortunate that they had to forfeit their game, and their opponent didn't have the compassion to be open to rescheduling the game. Some things are bigger than a football game. "

former teacher wrote on Oct 14, 2007 5:24 PM:

" I taught one year at Tri-Point Jr. High a few years ago. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family, teammates, and friends of this young man. "

sympathy wrote on Oct 14, 2007 3:11 PM:

" to his family "

My heart~ wrote on Oct 13, 2007 11:13 PM:

" goes out to the family and friends of this young man. "

Bill wrote on Oct 13, 2007 10:53 PM:

" What a tragedy.........a young man taken away much too early. I pray his family, his team, and his school finds strength in their faith and know that Bradley is a good kid that will surely watch over all of them from heaven. God Bless "

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