AUSTIN, Texas – Lake Travis football coach Hank Carter said he did not have the words to describe his emotions after the death of one of his players, Odin Hensley, who suffered a medical emergency at practice.
“We’re devastated and heartbroken,” Carter told KTBC. “You lose a young person, you’re never the same.”
Lake Travis Independent School District superintendent Curtis Null identified Hensley in a letter to families. Null described Hensley as a “valued teammate, classmate and friend” who had been part of the Lake Travis ISD family since attending Lake Pointe Elementary School. At the high school level, Hensley competed in both wrestling and football.
Hensley suffered the medical emergency at around 8 a.m. Monday. The team canceled all activities for the rest of the day.
‘The nicest kid’
Carter remembered Hensley as both a physically imposing athlete and a genuinely kind person.
“He was built like a Mack truck — a big, strong, powerful all-state wrestler, starter on the offensive line for us,” Carter said. “But just the nicest kid.”
On the morning of the medical emergency, the team made the decision to move a sophomore kicker up to the varsity roster.
“He had already went to that kid and said congratulations, welcomed him, encouraged him, and told him he was going to do great,” Carter said. “That’s just the kind of person that he was.”
Team returns to the field
Carter said bringing the team back together on the field — even in a limited capacity — has been part of working through the grief.
“The fact that we can get the kids out here and get something done right now, to be together, but also just for a few minutes get our minds off of the horrible tragedy that has happened — it’s great to be out here with our kids,” he said. “But the kids and the adults, everybody’s hurting.”
He acknowledged the day would typically have been an intra-squad scrimmage and team picture day for all levels of the program.
“Certainly not the same,” Carter said, “and probably won’t ever be.”
Support pours in
Carter said the outpouring of support from coaches, schools and the broader community has meant a great deal to the program. He noted players at other schools have been wearing No. 75 — Hensley’s number — in a show of support.
“I’ve had so many friends in the business, coaches across the country, everybody’s just been incredible,” Carter said. “That feels good, that they are thinking of us and they know that we’re hurting right now.”
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