‘As good a kid as you could be around.’ Kentucky football team mourns player
The Kentucky high school football community is mourning the loss of a teenage player in Laurel County who died in an ATV accident over the weekend, according to police and WKYT, the Herald-Leader’s reporting partner.
Kole Robinson, 15, died in a four-wheeler accident Saturday night. An 18-year-old passenger was taken to a hospital for treatment of “serious injuries,” Deputy Gilbert Acciardo said. The passenger was Kole’s brother, Konar Robinson, according to WKYT.
The North Laurel High School football team, for which both boys played, said Konar was recovering.
“Kole was as good a kid as you could ever be around and will be missed by anyone that has ever met him,” the North Laurel football program said in a statement on Twitter.
North Laurel football coach Chris Larkey said in a statement that he spoke with the brothers’ mother, and they decided the junior varsity team should continue with Monday’s scheduled game. The team is expected to have a 26-second moment of silence in honor of Kole, who wore number 26, Larkey said.
Laurel County Public Schools made grief counselors available for students, according to a statement from Superintendent Doug Bennett.
“Kole was a wonderful student,” Bennett said in a statement. “He will be remembered for his upbeat personality and cheerful smile.”
Other high school teams in Kentucky responded. Newport Central Catholic’s football program offered thoughts and prayers. Southwestern High School also offered condolences on Twitter.
“Warrior Nation would like to send our thoughts and prayers to the Robinson family and North Laurel,” the school’s football team said on Twitter. “Football is more than a game, it is a family and a brotherhood, and we send our love to North Laurel.”
The four-wheeler accident occurred about 9:45 p.m. Saturday, Acciardo said in a news release. Deputies responded to High Moore Road just west of London and found that the four-wheeler ran off the road and hit a tree, Acciardo said.
The accident was being investigated, Acciardo said in a news release.
This story was originally published September 21, 2020 at 3:21 PM.