FOLLOWING FAMILY'S FOOTSTEPS : FORMER T.O. STAR CRAWFORD FINDING SUCCESS AT MOORPARK.Byline: Kirby Lee Special to the Daily News Crystal Crawford, a freshman volleyball player and shot putter at Moorpark College Moorpark College is a California-state funded community college located on a 134 acre (542,000 m²) property reclining on a hill in Moorpark, a town in Ventura County, California. , has a family history of athletics. Former Dodger outfielder Willie Crawford Willie Murphy Crawford (Born September 7, 1946 in Los Angeles, California - Died August 27, 2004 in Los Angeles, California) was a Major League Baseball outfielder who played with Los Angeles Dodgers (1964-1975), St. , a 13-year major-league veteran who played from 1964-77, is her uncle. Another uncle, Curtis Rowe, played on three NCAA NCAA abbr. National Collegiate Athletic Association championship basketball teams at UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX from 1969-71 and played eight seasons in the NBA NBA abbr. 1. National Basketball Association 2. National Boxing Association NBA (US) n abbr (= National Basketball Association) → Basketball-Dachverband (= with the Pistons and the Celtics. Her sister Carla, 24, a former standout at Cal Lutheran, plays soccer professionally in Australia. What Crystal Crawford does not have, however, is a family history of heart disease, which made it all the more surprising when she was stricken with Kawasaki's syndrome at age 7. The mysterious ailment ail·ment n. A physical or mental disorder, especially a mild illness. is a common cause of acquired heart disease and heart attacks among children. ``I wasn't expected to live and it's a miracle It's a Miracle was a television show that aired on PAX-TV (now Independent Television) between September 6, 1998 and September 1, 2004.[1] Initially hosted by Richard Thomas[2], and later by Roma Downey, [3] that I made it through it all,'' Crawford said. The syndrome can cause sudden death because of cardiovascular complications. The ailment was named after Dr. Tomisaku Kawasaki, who first identified it in Japan in 1968. The cause is unknown. Symptoms include high fever, body rash, redness and swelling of the palms and feet, and swollen lymph nodes Lymph nodes Small, bean-shaped masses of tissue scattered along the lymphatic system that act as filters and immune monitors, removing fluids, bacteria, or cancer cells that travel through the lymph system. . Crawford was first diagnosed by doctors after she was taken to the hospital by her parents after coming home from school one day with a 105-degree fever and a sore throat Sore Throat Definition Sore throat, also called pharyngitis, is a painful inflammation of the mucous membranes lining the pharynx. It is a symptom of many conditions, but most often is associated with colds or influenza. . She was immediately admitted to the emergency room and then taken via helicopter from Ventura County to Children's Hospital in Los Angeles for further treatment. ``I had no energy at all,'' Crawford said. ``I was just burning up and I couldn't move at all. I was completely out of it. I opened my eyes and looked down when they were transferring me and I was in a state where I thought I was dying.'' Crawford, who also suffered from peeling skin and hair loss, was released after symptoms subsided after a three-week hospital stay. Crawford, however, remained under constant doctor's care and was home-schooled the next year. Eleven years later, however, there are no traces of the disease or it hasn't been a detriment to her performance in volleyball or track. This fall, the 5-foot-10 Crawford was an all-conference middle blocker on Moorpark College's volleyball team which won its first-ever Western State Conference title and reached the state playoffs for the first time in school history. At the WSC WSC Winter Symposium on Chemometrics WSC Winter Simulation Conference WSC Wayne State College WSC Westfield State College (Westfield, MA) WSC Western State College (Colorado) track finals at College of the Canyons College of the Canyons is one of the fastest-growing community colleges in the state. According to the National Junior College Research Association, College of the Canyons consistently ranks in the top 50 community colleges in the nation. April 26, Crawford placed sixth in the shot put and teamed with Stacey Higgins, Amy O'Connor and Trisha Palmquist on the Raiders' runner-up 400-meter relay team to earn berths in both events in the Southern California preliminaries Saturday at Bakersfield College. ``It's an unusual combination, but she has a lot of speed for her size,'' Moorpark throws coach John Keever said. ``The relay was where we needed her.'' At Thousand Oaks High, Crawford competed on the volleyball, basketball, soccer and track teams. Her teammates on the basketball team nicknamed her Ms. Barkley for her rebounding prowess. As a senior in track, Crawford set a school record in the shot put of 38-9 and placed seventh in the Southern Section Division I championships. ``Stuff like a (heart attack) has crossed my mind and it could happen at any given time,'' Crawford said. ``I was young and didn't understand. I knew my limits and knew when I was tired to take a break. But the way I look at it, it was all over by the time I reached high school. The way I play I give it my all and don't look for excuses.'' In fact, Crawford points to her participation in athletics to help put her bout with Kawasaki's syndrome into submission. At age 8, her father Michael got his daughter involved in soccer to build her stamina despite differing views from Crawford's cardiologist who opposed it to her pediatrician who felt that running in moderation might be beneficial. ``Everybody is a hard-core athlete in this family,'' said Michael, a former fullback/linebacker at Cal Lutheran and San Diego State. ``We started her slowly and in moderation and took her out of the game if she complained of fatigue. God had his hand on her and she got stronger and stronger.'' CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: Moorpark College volleyball player and shot putter Crystal Crawford comes from a long bloodline blood·line n. The direct line of descent; a pedigree. of professional and amateur athetes. Tina Gerson / Daily News |
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