A tackle gone wrong in an under-10s rugby league match on Saturday left Travis Dephoff in “traumatic” pain and waiting nearly an hour for an ambulance.
“You know kids, they don’t quite understand why an ambulance is taking as long as it is. He was just lying there in a lot of pain.
"The wait was quite traumatic,” his mum Bethany Jones said.
"The match between Riccarton Knights and Burnham Chevaliers at Ngā Puna Wai Sports Hub was cancelled after just 10min when Travis was injured.
Travis’ father called 111 at 11.40am while Jones and bystanders tried to keep him still and calm on the field where he fell.
The tibia and fibula bones in his right leg completely snapped when another player fell on top of him when they both went in for a tackle.
Jones said Travis was “very brave” while waiting but he struggled to remain conscious at points due to the pain.
Jones said it was hard to tell who might have a first aid kit and painkillers.
She is unsure who’s responsibility it should have been to have a first aid kit and painkillers between Nga Puna Wai staff, Canterbury Rugby League, or the Riccarton Knights team itself.
There were no Hato Hone St John staff or volunteers present at Nga Puna Wai on Saturday.
“We asked around for painkillers and there was just no one who could give any. If there had been something to numb the pain, the ambulance wait probably wouldn’t have been so bad.”
“There should probably be someone with a first aid kit, painkillers and someone who can do some medical help when there’s injuries.”
Canterbury Rugby League chief executive Malcolm Humm did not respond to questions from The Star.
Riccarton Knights junior club manager Annette Pauu said there are concerns about providing coaches and volunteers with painkillers to administer to child players.
“It’s something we’ll probably discuss through our internal process but there’s not much I can say at this stage.”
Jones, who works as a general practitioners’ GP office manager, is understanding of the time it took for the ambulance to arrive. She acknowledged the pressures ambulance staff face and does not intend to take it up with St John.
“I get how difficult it can be for them, and the ambulance staff and hospital staff were great with their treatment.”
A St John spokesperson said: “At the time of the call, all available ambulances in the area were committed to higher priority emergencies.”
He will spend four-weeks in a large leg cast before it is replaced with a smaller one for two weeks.
Beyond that, Travis’ exact recovery time is unknown.
His 10th birthday is on Tuesday, and the keen league fan is sad he will no longer have his sports-themed birthday party. “Unfortunately we’ll have to delay it,” said Jones.
