Players, coaches remember Lewis Simpkins during Lexington County Sportsarama
River Bluff’s Lewis Simpkins was on the minds of the players and coaches as they took the field Friday at the Lexington County Sportsarama at White Knoll High School.
Simpkins, the River Bluff junior, collapsed and died following practice on Wednesday night.
Before each of the three games of the Sportsarama, a moment of silence was held as teams met and kneeled at midfield. A sign hung in what would have River Bluff’s section and read “Long Live Lewis #51.”
The Gators were supposed to play Mid-Carolina in the Sportsarama, which returned after a hiatus, but canceled following Simpkins’ death. River Bluff practiced Friday for the first time since Simpkins’ death. A memorial service will be held Sunday at Caughman-Harman Funeral Home.
“We at District One are one big family over here, and all us coaches know one another,” first-year Gilbert coach Chad Leaphart said. “When we heard the news, we all reached out to coach Bennett. It has been a tough week, and we just tried to pull together. We are one big family.”
Leaphart said Gilbert and River Bluff attended the same Fellowship of Christian Athletes camp a few weeks ago and went up against Simpkins in drills.
Isaac Manning, a sophomore at Lexington, has been friends with Simpkins since the two attended Pleasant Hill Middle School together. Manning and Simpkins didn’t see each other as often with Manning at Lexington and Simpkins going to River Bluff. He said he saw Simpkins a month or two ago and was hoping to catch up with him at the Sportsarama.
“The last time I saw him, we got together with a few guys to throw the football, and, after it was all done, I said, ‘See you later.’ ” Manning said. “It just seems unreal that he’s actually gone. He was a giant teddy bear that everybody loved.”
White Knoll coach Dean Howell said Simpkins’ death is a reminder how precious life is.
He said several members on his team had dealt with the loss of loved ones in recent weeks, and Simpkins’ death hit home even more.
Several members of the White Knoll and Lexington football teams attended the gathering at River Bluff on Thursday afternoon for Simpkins.
“It is a challenge, for sure, to try and help the kids refocus after something that tragic,” Howell said. “We gave them a couple hours off to go over there, and when they came back I told them, ‘I don’t tell you guys enough that I love you. I don’t cherish the time we have together enough.’
“I can’t imagine what they are going through over there. We just want to make sure that every time we are together we make the most of our opportunities.”
Batesburg-Leesville coach Perry Woolbright echoed Howell’s comments.
“It puts things in perspective on how important life is and how it is important to seize every day,” Woolbright said. “You can’t worry about the bad things. You need to take advantage of the opportunities you have.”
This story was originally published August 12, 2016 at 10:44 PM with the headline "Players, coaches remember Lewis Simpkins during Lexington County Sportsarama."