Rosemount basketball coach back on bench after heart attack

ROSEMOUNT, Minn. (KMSP) - For the third year in a row, the Rosemount High School girls basketball team made it to the section finals. But, the fact that their head coach was on the bench for the game was something of a minor miracle.

"I'm feeling well. From everything I've been through. My body has been through," Rosemount Irish Coach Chris Orr said.

The 33-year-old physical education teacher was running in the gym as part of a physical conditioning test on Friday when he had a heart attack and collapsed during third hour.

But, several students, staff and police officers worked together to perform CPR and used a portable defibrillator to revive him.

"I'd met him before so that was difficult. I wasn't expecting to see him in that condition. But if anything it helped us try to help him as much as we could," Rosemount Patrol Sgt. Shawn McMenomy said.

Incredibly, Orr was released from the hospital the next day, but his doctors wouldn't let him go to his team's game against rival Apple Valley that night.

But even without him, Orr's players say his health scare inspired them to victory.

"A lot of people kept telling us that we shouldn't play for him because they didn't want to put that much pressure on us, but in the back of our minds, it gave us an extra push," team captain Maddy Olson said.

For this game, Orr was back on the bench, but in a backup role.

That fact and a little luck of the Irish means the team has already won its most important victory.

"I just want to be there for the girls because they've always been there for me," Orr said. "I want to make sure I'm there for them as well."

Even with his heart attack, Orr says he has no plans to give up coaching.

Unfortunately, the Irish lost their bid for state to Eastview by a score of 49-59.