For Kindred Boys basketball, that’s how long it took between appearances in state tournaments.
“It’s really special,” said Brad Woehl, head coach of the Vikings. “These children are a very special group of children. We had to overcome some difficulties.”
The Woehl family know adversity off the field far too well.
Brad’s son Brock knows there are challenges in being the coach’s kid.
“If someone doesn’t know me, they’ll say, ‘I’m sure you’re starting out,'” said Brock. “I’m like, ‘No, I’m not actually starting. I don’t have more minutes than I deserve. ‘”
A challenge, however, seemed more difficult than anyone could imagine.
At just 11 years old, Brock was diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, also known as POTS. It affects the autonomic nervous system and affects things like body temperature, blood pressure, and blood circulation.
This left Brock fainting and constantly feeling sick, to the point that he missed school in pieces.
“Extreme fatigue. I’m tired no matter how tired I am,” Brock said. “I have a sort of spinning sensation in my stomach, and I’m starting to sweat a lot.”
It was so difficult that Brock and his mother spent six straight weeks at the Mayo Clinic in a pain rehabilitation program, something Brock called a “school for POTS.”
“So emotionally draining,” he recalled. “Am I going to be okay in the future?”
“It was just a great moment when we got to see him run at the hotel because we hadn’t seen him do that in a year,” Brad said. “I burst into tears.”
It’s a syndrome that three million people face and Brock barely knew anyone.
Until one day his teammate Paul Olson told him something was wrong.
“I started to pass out and one night it went wrong, I was in church and passed out and hit my head real hard on the floor,” Olson said. .
“I was like, ‘There’s no way he can have it,'” said Brock.
Olson was diagnosed with POTS soon after, and Brock immediately knew he could intervene.
“’I can really love talking with you and getting you through this, we’re going to get through this,” Brock recalls as he told Olson. “We are constantly checking each other out. Like we’re in a tough spot with this, he’ll text me, ‘Hey, are you okay?’ “
“If either of us is going through a difficult time in practice, we know the other can understand,” Olson said. “It’s just nice to have someone who knows what you’re going through.”
Coach Woehl had to implement a game plan for both players to mitigate the risks associated with the game, including constant leg cramps from dehydration.
“It’s a good thing that I have some experience in this area,” said Woehl. “They understand that I understand POTS and I think it’s a big advantage for both of them.”
Another first for the juniors comes Thursday, when Kindred takes the field against Dickinson Trinity in the Class B quarterfinals. It will be one more bond for Brock and Paul, who know they will always be linked by a common battle.
“It’s just crazy to think about the chances of that happening,” Olson said. “It really is a brotherhood. It’s always better to have someone with you.”
“I still know people I was in that clinic with who still can’t walk,” said Brock. “I think about it all the time and I am so thankful to be where I am.”
For Kindred Boys basketball, that’s how long it took between appearances in state tournaments.
“It’s really special,” said Brad Woehl, head coach of the Vikings. “These children are a very special group of children. We had to overcome some difficulties.”
The Woehl family know adversity off the field far too well.
Brad’s son Brock knows there are challenges in being the coach’s kid.
“If someone doesn’t know me, they’ll say, ‘I’m sure you’re starting out,'” said Brock. “I’m like, ‘No, I’m not actually starting. I don’t have more minutes than I deserve. ‘”
A challenge, however, seemed more difficult than anyone could imagine.
At just 11 years old, Brock was diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, also known as POTS. It affects the autonomic nervous system and affects things like body temperature, blood pressure, and blood circulation.
This left Brock fainting and constantly feeling sick, to the point that he missed school in pieces.
“Extreme fatigue. I’m tired no matter how tired I am,” Brock said. “I have a sort of spinning sensation in my stomach, and I’m starting to sweat a lot.”
It was so difficult that Brock and his mother spent six straight weeks at the Mayo Clinic in a pain rehabilitation program, something Brock called a “school for POTS.”
“So emotionally draining,” he recalled. “Am I going to be okay in the future?”
“It was just a great moment when we got to see him run at the hotel because we hadn’t seen him do that in a year,” Brad said. “I burst into tears.”
It’s a syndrome that three million people face and Brock barely knew anyone.
Until one day his teammate Paul Olson told him something was wrong.
“I started to pass out and one night it went wrong, I was in church and passed out and hit my head real hard on the floor,” Olson said. .
“I was like, ‘There’s no way he can have it,'” said Brock.
Olson was diagnosed with POTS soon after, and Brock immediately knew he could intervene.
“’I can really love talking with you and getting you through this, we’re going to get through this,” Brock recalls as he told Olson. “We are constantly checking each other out. Like we’re in a tough spot with this, he’ll text me, ‘Hey, are you okay?’ “
“If either of us is going through a difficult time in practice, we know the other can understand,” Olson said. “It’s just nice to have someone who knows what you’re going through.”
Coach Woehl had to implement a game plan for both players to mitigate the risks associated with the game, including constant leg cramps from dehydration.
“It’s a good thing that I have some experience in this area,” said Woehl. “They understand that I understand POTS and I think it’s a big advantage for both of them.”
Another first for the juniors comes Thursday, when Kindred takes the field against Dickinson Trinity in the Class B quarterfinals. It will be one more bond for Brock and Paul, who know they will always be linked by a common battle.
“It’s just crazy to think about the chances of that happening,” Olson said. “It really is a brotherhood. It’s always better to have someone with you.”
“I still know people I was in that clinic with who still can’t walk,” said Brock. “I think about it all the time and I am so thankful to be where I am.”