BROOMFIELD, Colo. (KDVR) — Soccer practice ended abruptly for several Colorado teams forced to dash for cover as parts of a Boeing 777 engine showered down Saturday.
“Let me paint a picture of what it was like,” coach Heather Solar said. “I’m standing on the field and every two seconds, you heard a boom boom boom because debris is just falling and hitting off the turf. It felt like looking up in the sky you see black objects spinning.”
In 23 years of coaching, Solar said, she’s never been more amazed by a group of players.
“I was like ‘Wow, I’ve never seen you guys run this fast,’” Solar said. “They saw my fear, and I was like ‘Get to safety’ and they just boogied. The kids picked up their backpacks. put them on their heads and ran.”
While the team ran for cover under a gazebo, Solar didn’t have that option.
“I couldn’t move (that fast) because I just recently got ACL surgery, so I’m dodging debris, saying, ‘Oh my gosh, this is crazy,’” she said. “First I thought we were going to war, then these two high schooler boys came over and said, ‘Hey, the engine just blew up on a plane.’”
A day later, Solar said she felt extremely lucky she and her team were untouched by the shower of debris falling all around them.
“As far as luck and miracle, I’m going to go buy a lottery ticket. Seriously,” she said.