Tennis 'madness' helps Indian football player (Posted 7/20/2010 01:40 pm)
By Christopher Amos

Another Alvarado Star exclusive

The Alvarado High School tennis team is turning an unusual annual event into a fundraiser for fellow student Jason Craig.

Craig was gravely injured in an automobile accident the first week of July and is undergoing rehabilitation.

Athletic director Jeff Dixon coaches Craig on the football team and compared Craig’s progress to what the student has shown on the playing field.

“He is holding on to the chance of beating this and walking again,” Dixon said. “That is the way he is attacking it. He approaches every rehab session like another chance to beat this.”

The fundraiser, the annual Midnight Madness tournament, will be 10 p.m.- midnight Friday, July 30, at the high school tennis court. Participation is $5 per person, and coach Matt McCleary said it will be a night of tennis and fun.

“This is for anybody,” McCleary said. “Adults, students — if you can pick up a racket, you can play.”

Participants are encouraged to bring a partner. However, players may play against multiple opponents as the night goes on under the lights.

“It is a ‘for fun’ tournament,” McCleary explained. “There will be players coming from all over.”

Coconut Hut will be selling snow cones at the courts for the benefit.

Alvarado High School 2010 graduate Kayla Deatherage said she will be on the court as well.

“I make the Midnight Madness every year,” she said.

Jason’s parents, Randy and Linda Craig, have been sharing updates of progress and improvement with the public via the Internet. Even though, at this time, Jason is paralyzed from the chest down, the family is encouraging with his progress.

Part of a July 14 entry relates Jason’s strength and determination.

“Afternoon workout went really good,” Linda wrote. “Jason is giving it his all — still a lot of pain, but he is not quitting.”