Gifford bouncing back following football injury

Nick Christensen

Thursday, Jan. 22, 2004 | 10:07 a.m.

When Las Vegas High School quarterback Chris Gifford went down in October with a broken leg, it was clear to him he'd have to pay for it by sitting out through the football season.

It would be a fair trade, as long as he was healthy by the time wrestling started.

Gifford is one of a number of Las Vegas' two-sport athletes who play football in the fall and another sport through the winter. Most go into wrestling, but others participate in basketball or hold off for spring sports.

And although Gifford was one of Las Vegas' leading passers when he was injured, his ticket to college was absolutely in wrestling.

Gifford, a three-time state wrestling champion, is widely regarded as the best grappler in Las Vegas. During his injury, he was offered, and accepted, a scholarship to Fresno State.

"Fresno State signed me to wrestle, and told me I didn't have to anymore," Gifford said.

But would he take their advice and sit out this year to try to stay healthy for the future?

"My oldest brother won state once, my next oldest won twice, and I want to keep the tradition going," he said before his team's Wednesday practice at Vegas' musty, smelly wrestling gym.

His coach at Las Vegas, Joe Sellers, is also an assistant with the Wildcats football team. Seven of his wrestlers are on the football team, and he said the sports teach similar values to participants.

"They're very complementary sports. There's a lot of basic skills in football that we use in wrestling," he said. "The difference is, in wrestling, you can't hide. In football, you have a team to back you up."

As for Gifford, Sellers said there were two factors that kept him from being worried about the injury.

"Once we got the diagnosis and we knew it would go into wrestling, I started making adjustments," he said. "(Injuries) are a concern because football does go so long. But it's not the beginning that matters, it's the end. We're getting ready for regional and state."

The wrestling regionals are Feb. 7, and the state finals Feb. 14.

Across town, Palo Verde's Jarrell Harrison doubles as running back and point guard for the Panthers. Palo Verde football coach Darwin Rost joked about Harrison's recent injury that cost him time on the hardwood.

"I was joking with (basketball) coach Clarke, that he went through 13-14 football games and he never got hurt," Rost said. "With Gifford, he's established himself as a wrestler. He can still go to the next level."

Harrison said other sports don't register at gametime.

"I try not to think about (injury)," Harrison said. "Both sports are as important to me. So if you're giving it your all, it doesn't matter if you get hurt."

Gifford said he too has had the support to play two sports.

"Last year, my dad wanted me to focus on wrestling," he said. "They inspire me to play two sports."

But, he said, if the football injury had come a year earlier, it would have meant an early end to his quarterback career.

"I love football and I love the kids playing it," Gifford said. "I probably would have focused on wrestling."