SJS Costs High School Football Coach His Job

Kansas City, KSA high school football coach from Kansas City was forced to leave his job of 12 years due to the debilitating effects of Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS).

span itemprop="image" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/ImageObject" style="display:block">Kevin Kopecky coached high school football for 23 years, the past 12 of which he spent with St Thomas Aquinas High. Last summer, Kopecky was forced to resign to focus on treating his SJS.

SJS is a rare skin condition marked by a painful red or purplish rash that spreads and blisters beneath the skin, leading to extensive scarring and loss of epidermal tissue. It is a dangerous and potentially life threatening condition that the coach contracted through an allergic reaction to antibiotics.

Over the past 11 seasons, Kopecky led the team to eight district championships and one appearance in Kansas' 5A state championship game. In an interview with the Kansas City Star, Kopecky explained his feelings on missing his opportunity to build on this foundation.

"It was a pretty frustrating fall," he said. "I've coached for a lot of years and had players get hurt, and I felt like one of those injured players."