Ethan Pritchard shooting: Player's former coach at Seminole High says community is praying for football star

Seminole High head coach on Ethan Prichard shooting

Former Seminole High School football standout Ethan Pritchard, now a player at Florida State University, was shot over the weekend near Tallahassee after the Seminoles’ upset win over Alabama, according to investigators.

SANFORD, Fla. - Former Seminole High School football standout Ethan Pritchard, now a player at Florida State University, was shot over the weekend near Tallahassee after the Seminoles’ upset win over Alabama, according to investigators.

What we know:

Ethan Pritchard, a freshman football player at Florida State University, was shot while driving his aunt home after the Seminoles' upset win over Alabama. 

The shooting happened in Havana, about 25 minutes northwest of the state capital, as Pritchard was driving his aunt home. Authorities said his car was struck by gunfire, hitting Pritchard. His condition has not been publicly released.

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The backstory:

Back in Sanford, Pritchard’s high school coach said the community is rallying around him. Coach Karl Calhoun, Jr., head football coach at Seminole High School, was Pritchard's coach and has expressed his grief over the incident. 

Pritchard was a four-star recruit and was rated among some of the nation’s top linebackers. 

As a junior, he recorded 75 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and one fumble recovery, helping propel Seminole High to the regional finals of Florida’s 4M state playoffs. As a senior, he finished with 39 tackles and seven tackles for loss in nine games.

What they're saying:

Coach Calhoun and the team are actively praying for Pritchard's recovery.

"It was devastating, just unreal," Calhoun said. "Like everyone else, we’re just hoping that everything comes good. We're hoping that he pushes through."

Calhoun said he has been in contact with Pritchard’s family, describing them as "devastated but hopeful and trusting in God."

"We believe in God and his strength and ability," Calhoun said. "We just got to continue to pray for him and hope everything transpires how it needs to go."

By the numbers:

A GoFundMe campaign set up by Coach Calhoun has raised more than $85,000 to help Pritchard's family with medical and travel expenses.

What's next:

Supporters can contribute to the GoFundMe campaign to assist Ethan Pritchard's family during this challenging time. The link to donate is available here.

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