Carter fights through sickle cell trait to make immediate impact for Air Force basketball
Freshman Chris Carter would keep his mind occupied during basic training by imagining how he’d play in his first game for Air Force men’s basketball.
Reality was nearly better than the dreams. Carter hit 3-of-4 shots, scored nine points, grabbed seven rebounds and had seven steals in his college debut against Army on Friday.
There were nervous moments at the beginning of the school year when nobody was quite sure if Carter, a 6-foot-3 guard from Port St. Lucie, Fla., would be able to play. Carter has sickle cell trait, an inherited condition in which red blood cells change shape during intense exercise. The round cells become sickle shaped, blocking normal blood flow.
Last year at the prep school, Carter said he passed out once during practice. During one of Air Force’s first workouts this school year, he felt the same symptoms coming on. For a short time, Air Force’s trainers worried an ambulance might need to be called.
Carter missed about two weeks of workouts. Testing was done to rule out any cardiac or pulmonary causes for his dizziness, and then men’s basketball trainer Ernie Sedelmyer made sure he was physically ready before he got back on the court.
“After the doctor cleared me, (Sedelmyer) wouldn’t let me go on the court until I felt comfortable. I had to get on the treadmill every day until I was ready,” Carter said. “I feel fine, I feel great.”
Air Force has managed Carter’s sickle cell trait. He met with the academy’s allergists. His workouts are monitored. He is vigilant about staying hydrated, which can help prevent problems. Carter is on medication to control his respiratory distress that sometimes occurs during hard workouts in the high altitude.
Sickle cell trait is a serious issue for blacks and young athletes. According to the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation’s website, sickle cell trait was the primary cause of sudden death in 15 athletes in a review of the 30-year U.S. National Registry of Sudden Death in Athletes. According to the NCAA, sickle cell trait occurs in about 8 percent of the African-American population in the U.S., and between one in 2,000 and one in 10,000 of the Caucasian population.
With proper management, Air Force is confident Carter will have a normal career at the academy.
“Sickle cell trait is something that can be managed,” Sedelmyer said. “We expect him to be fine, or we wouldn’t let him play.”
Carter should have a bright future at Air Force. He’s an athletic player who had a very good season as a lead guard at the prep school last season, and is ready to fit in however Air Force wants to use his various talents. He is a capable passer and rebounder, and the Falcons need those contributions once guard Evan Washington graduated.
“I know if I’m not going to score, I can do other things,” Carter said. “I really plan on having a big impact on this team, whether it’s starting or coming off the bench or whatever it is. I feel like this team is something special.”
Contact Frank Schwab: 476-4891
Twitter @GazetteAirForce
Facebook Gazette Frank Schwab
