Mild Stroke Doesn't Keep Coach From State Tourney

Imagine coaching a team all the way to its first state tournament and not making the game.  That was a possible scenario West High School Basketball Coach Chris Kesler faced.

West is 27-5 this season.  They play Craigmont in the state tournament Thursday in Murfreesboro.

Last Wednesday, Coach Kesler fell ill while teaching a math class at West High School.  A student alerted Kesler's assistant coach, Timmy Meade, who is also a math teacher at the school.  911 was notified and Kesler was transported to UT Medical Center.

Kesler was released from the hospital Monday.  He said he suffered a mild stroke.  Being the kind of coach he is, Kesler couldn't stay off the court.  He was back coaching his team at practice on Tuesday afternoon.

"This is a place of refuge for me.  So, I just wanted to get back to a place of refuge for me where I can be myself and do what I love to do," said Kesler.  "I just want to let them know that the team is still intact."

West will take the court in Murfreesboro at 1:30 Central Time on Thursday.