Jupiter High School Wrestling

Dear Sirs & Madame,

I am writing to you today about something that is very close to my heart. I am writing to you about the health and well-being of the children that I teach and coach at Jupiter High School. Yes, my own children are included in that group. Actually I have never shown anything but caring for any student/athlete (no matter what school the student/athlete attended) in my 12 years of coaching wrestling in Florida.

During the last month the wrestling team at Jupiter High School was hit extremely hard with staph infections. We practice in the cafeteria and I have always blamed the food and the difficulties involved in clearing the cafeteria as the culprit for any type of infections the kids got. I learned to the contrary a couple of weeks ago. There was a football player that came out for wrestling that had a staph infection. It then spread throughout the wrestling team like wildfire.

In the past I have dealt with ringworm, impetigo, and herpes. This has been my first firsthand dealing with Staph infections. I have witnessed what Staph can do. I have seen people hospitalized and even die from it. In a matter of a couple of days 11 Jupiter High School wrestlers had Staph infections. It was quite obvious that something had to be done immediately. I either had to get help cleaning up the mats and the area treated or I would have to cancel the season.

I knew right where to start. I called the one person that I know had the ability to help that also cares as much for “the kids” as I do myself, I called Joe Raich. Last winter Joe had given me a couple of gallons of a BioShield 75 that would kill and continue to kill bacteria when applied to the mats. I used it on a mat that I have at home and I was pleased with the BioShield 75, but was out of it. Within 3 minutes Joe has his associate Amie call me. Amie and another associate, Dave, were at Jupiter High School that afternoon fogging our mats with BioShield 75 to kill the bacteria. They took a reading on the mats before the started (635) and a measurement of (6) at the end of the treatment.

It has been a true pleasure to go to practice and not have to worry about bacteria and other skin afflictions. I have used bleach, Whizzer, and other mat cleaners to clean the mats. To this point nothing has even come close to BioShield 75. We are even washing our uniforms and workout clothes in the BioShield 75. I have sprayed our shoes and kneepads as well. I would love to see Palm Beach County adopt the BioShield 75 program. Actually, I recommend that the entire state of Florida adopt the BioShield 75 program. The FHSAA could be using BioShield 75 at the State Wrestling Tournament to protect not only the wrestlers, but the officials as well. It is time to become PROACTIVE rather than REACTIVE. I have vowed never to get into a situation like that again at JHS and I hope that everyone will follow my lead.

Sincerely,

Douglas Rasmusson
Head Wrestling Coach
Jupiter High School
600 N Military Trail
Jupiter, FL 33458
561-379-7178