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Liam King felt like a new player last football season at Manchester High School West.
It was the first time King ever played the sport he loves without being in constant pain.
“It was amazing to feel and to see the difference,” King said before practicing on Wednesday for the Dartmouth Health Children’s and Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (CHaD) New Hampshire East-West all-star football game.
King, who transferred to West from Manchester Central before his senior year, grew up with consistent joint pain in his knees, hips and lower back. The 5-foot-7, 150-pound wide receiver/defensive back dealt with agonizing lower-back pain during his sophomore season with Central.
He and his family didn’t know the reason for the pain. They thought maybe it was genetic.
After King woke up one morning unable to walk, he and his family needed answers.
They went to Dartmouth Health Children’s and CHaD, where pediatric rheumatologist Dr. Ana Iris Quintero Del Rio diagnosed King with juvenile arthritis stemming from Lyme disease he contracted at age 4.
King, who lives on the west side of Manchester, started taking a once-a-week methotrexate injection for his arthritis in March last year. He felt better after about four months. By football season, King no longer needed the injections.
“I found out there had been this huge thing holding me back the entire time,” King said. “I’ve always worked hard and I’ve gotten on the field and I’ve performed, but to know that there was something I could do to take the anchor off and really maximize my potential, that was huge.”
Playing both wide receiver and running back, King totaled 750 yards and 10 touchdowns over eight games for the Blue Knights last fall, earning All-Division II West Conference First Team honors.
West went 7-2 in the regular season and lost 7-6 to Pelham in the Division II quarterfinals.
“The way that I could move my body and run and actually be explosive in my movements was so much different than it was before after just about two or three months of the medication,” said King, who will continue his career at NCAA Division III New England College.
King will play for Team West in the 14th annual CHaD game at 6 p.m. Friday at Saint Anselm College. Funds raised from the exhibition, which features recently graduated seniors from across the state, benefit programs and services at Dartmouth Heath Children’s and CHaD.
Merrimack High coach Kip Jackson, Team West’s head coach for the CHaD game, said King should be a big factor on Friday.
“I don’t even think he realizes how good he could be on the football field,” Jackson said. “Sometimes being that humble also is a strength and he’s one of the kids that I’m rooting for on Friday night.”
Before he ever played a game for the Blue Knights, King had his new team’s respect. When West players chose their captains during the preseason, King received the most votes.
Whenever West tailback/linebacker Jarome Henert got worked up during a game, he said King helped him keep his composure.
Henert, King and wide receiver/defensive back Rayvon Nelson are the Blue Knights’ representatives on Team West for the CHaD game.
“Him transferring, people really doubted his leader abilities, and he showed it through practices,” Henert said. “Him helping people when they were down, learning the plays almost instantly — there’s just a lot of instances you can look (to) that Liam would help everybody.”
Blue Knights coach Andrew Provencher called King dependable and reliable, both as a leader and a player.
King lined up wherever Provencher needed him to play, whether it was running back, wide receiver, cornerback or safety.
“He’s like a Swiss Army Knife of sorts,” said Provencher, an assistant coach for Team West for the CHaD game. “You can kind of fit him anywhere.”
When King learned he was selected to play in the CHaD game, he cried.
It’s been a goal for him throughout high school, and he sees it as an opportunity to give back to the hospital that helped him.
“I think it’s really poetic, honestly, that I get to play in this game and I’m really excited for it,” King said.
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It was the first time King ever played the sport he loves without being in constant pain.
“It was amazing to feel and to see the difference,” King said before practicing on Wednesday for the Dartmouth Health Children’s and Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (CHaD) New Hampshire East-West all-star football game.
King, who transferred to West from Manchester Central before his senior year, grew up with consistent joint pain in his knees, hips and lower back. The 5-foot-7, 150-pound wide receiver/defensive back dealt with agonizing lower-back pain during his sophomore season with Central.
He and his family didn’t know the reason for the pain. They thought maybe it was genetic.
After King woke up one morning unable to walk, he and his family needed answers.
They went to Dartmouth Health Children’s and CHaD, where pediatric rheumatologist Dr. Ana Iris Quintero Del Rio diagnosed King with juvenile arthritis stemming from Lyme disease he contracted at age 4.
King, who lives on the west side of Manchester, started taking a once-a-week methotrexate injection for his arthritis in March last year. He felt better after about four months. By football season, King no longer needed the injections.
“I found out there had been this huge thing holding me back the entire time,” King said. “I’ve always worked hard and I’ve gotten on the field and I’ve performed, but to know that there was something I could do to take the anchor off and really maximize my potential, that was huge.”
Playing both wide receiver and running back, King totaled 750 yards and 10 touchdowns over eight games for the Blue Knights last fall, earning All-Division II West Conference First Team honors.
West went 7-2 in the regular season and lost 7-6 to Pelham in the Division II quarterfinals.
“The way that I could move my body and run and actually be explosive in my movements was so much different than it was before after just about two or three months of the medication,” said King, who will continue his career at NCAA Division III New England College.
King will play for Team West in the 14th annual CHaD game at 6 p.m. Friday at Saint Anselm College. Funds raised from the exhibition, which features recently graduated seniors from across the state, benefit programs and services at Dartmouth Heath Children’s and CHaD.
Merrimack High coach Kip Jackson, Team West’s head coach for the CHaD game, said King should be a big factor on Friday.
“I don’t even think he realizes how good he could be on the football field,” Jackson said. “Sometimes being that humble also is a strength and he’s one of the kids that I’m rooting for on Friday night.”
Before he ever played a game for the Blue Knights, King had his new team’s respect. When West players chose their captains during the preseason, King received the most votes.
Whenever West tailback/linebacker Jarome Henert got worked up during a game, he said King helped him keep his composure.
Henert, King and wide receiver/defensive back Rayvon Nelson are the Blue Knights’ representatives on Team West for the CHaD game.
“Him transferring, people really doubted his leader abilities, and he showed it through practices,” Henert said. “Him helping people when they were down, learning the plays almost instantly — there’s just a lot of instances you can look (to) that Liam would help everybody.”
Blue Knights coach Andrew Provencher called King dependable and reliable, both as a leader and a player.
King lined up wherever Provencher needed him to play, whether it was running back, wide receiver, cornerback or safety.
“He’s like a Swiss Army Knife of sorts,” said Provencher, an assistant coach for Team West for the CHaD game. “You can kind of fit him anywhere.”
When King learned he was selected to play in the CHaD game, he cried.
It’s been a goal for him throughout high school, and he sees it as an opportunity to give back to the hospital that helped him.
“I think it’s really poetic, honestly, that I get to play in this game and I’m really excited for it,” King said.
[email protected]
Continue reading...
