MAKING LAS VEGAS A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE

Tiny Mites coach makes dream come true

By Beth Fisher

CREATED Oct. 29, 2012

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  • Tiny Might Coaches are making Las Vegas a better place to live, especially for one little boy Video by ktnv.com

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Las Vegas, NV (KTNV) -- A lot of people make Las Vegas a better place to live.  But some Tiny Mites football coaches deserve a special shout out.  They are teaching the Wolves football basics and big life lessons too.  And one of the team members is already facing some life lessons of his own.

Drew Douglas loves football.  But this 5-year-old boy can't play on his Tiny Mite division team any more.

Drew says, "I get bloody noses."

Drew has a very rare kind of Von Willebrand's disease -- a bleeding disorder that forceds his parents to pull him off the field.  But head coach Victor Montecerin made sure he wasn't off the team.

Drew's mom Amanda Cardiff says, "I honestly expected to tell them Drew can't play any more and them be like, 'OK. Nice meeting you. Sorry.' But watching them give him a whistle and ask him to lead workouts. You don't find coaches like that."

Victor Montecerin is the Wolves coach.  He says, "Drew's nickname for us is the little giant.  He would take on some of the biggest kids on the team. He always wants to play. Always wants to tackle."

But now a tackle could kill him.

Drew's mom explains, "Drew has an extreme high risk of internal bleeding. Which is why sports is out the door."

And there was no way this 5-year-old boy could ever score a touchdown. Or could he?  Earlier this month something magical happened. Coach Victor asked his opponents (a team from Pahrump) if they'd give Drew the chance. Just one play where every child knew they couldn't touch Drew. Drew ran 60 yards for a touchdown that day. There wasn't a dry eye on the sidelines.

Drew's dad, Jon Douglas remembers, "It was emotional but to him it was just playing. He got to score a touchdown. He didn't know what a big deal it was."

Drew is doing well, but still battles unexpected bloody noses. His dad recently had to tell him he can't play baseball either.  Doctors say sliding into base or getting hit by a ball makes it too risky.  As for the Wolves, they are having a great season with coaches who are determined to teach these boys lessons that are bigger than football.