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CARLISLE — When his season officially kicks off tonight, Aug. 22, at Carlisle's Laughlin Field, Indians placekicker Josh Couch likely will be grinning from ear to ear.

Couch already has notched a huge win. He won a life-or-death battle against a bacterial disease known as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA.

The skin disease, which normally enters the body through unclean cuts or scrapes, is resistant to most any antibiotic commonly used to treat it. Doctors found traces of MRSA in Couch's nose, mouth and ears, but not in any cuts or abrasions.

"He looked like he had one foot in the grave when I saw him in Dayton Children's Hospital," Carlisle coach Billy Jewell said. "You can see he's excited about being on the field again.

"He's still a kicker," Jewell chuckled, "but we're glad to have him back."

Couch credits physical therapy sessions at Ortho Sport Physical Therapy in Middletown, and a steady weightlifting workout put together by Carlisle Athletic Director and former wrestling coach Mark Townsley as two key reasons for his recovery.

"I definitely want to complete the whole season," Couch said. "I think I have a lot of opportunities after high school, and I want to go to the next level."

A year ago, he was hoping just to get out of bed.

'I'm lucky to be here at all'

Two-a-day workouts aren't very much fun. But after the year Carlisle senior placekicker Josh Couch endured, he didn't mind at all.

Last season, the former NFL Punt, Pass & Kick champion contracted a staph infection called methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA.

It nearly killed him.

Couch initially thought he'd pulled a muscle in his groin while he was kicking field goals during a preseason practice. But when the pain worsened, he told his family he needed to seek medical help.

"I felt dehydrated, and it hurt to walk," he said. "I couldn't urinate. It hurt just to move my legs. I always had a high temperature, and when I did urinate, just blood came out."

Soon after, Couch passed out in the shower at home. He regained consciousness long enough to get in the car for the ride to the hospital, but doesn't remember much after that. Couch was in intensive care at Dayton Children's Hospital for more than two weeks. He drifted in and out of consciousness.

"I couldn't breathe. They had to put me on oxygen right away," Couch said. "They had me hooked up to all these IVs. I felt sick to my stomach and couldn't move without intense pain.

"I kept slowly drifting away, and I wasn't tired at all. My eyes would get heavy, my stomach was hurting, and then I lost all feeling in my arms and just slowly drifted away. Each time I woke up, I would be in so much pain. Then when I'd drift off, I'd wonder if it was the end for me."

Weeks later, doctors became encouraged when Couch sat up in his hospital bed and said he was hungry.

Two days later, he was actually able to eat.

Couch said he had a form of community-associated MRSA. While the infection often enters the body through a cut or a scrape, his doctors were never certain exactly how he became infected. Traces of the infection were found in his mouth, ears and nose, but not in any cuts or scrapes.

He returned to the team two weeks later, a 185-pound shadow of his former 230-pound self. He kicked a field goal in a game in the middle of the season, but battled groin injuries the rest of the way.

"We were surprised at how much weight he'd lost," said senior teammate and good friend Dustin Hisle. "But once we'd gotten over the initial shock, we teased him like we always did. You can bet that we're on top of it when it comes to MRSA, though. None of us want that to happen to us. We've seen it's not good."

Couch said his teammates tease him all the time.

"I just tell them to wash their hands. Wash your uniform. If you have an open wound, tape it up. And they get it," he said. "I'm lucky to be here at all."

Today, Couch is back and stronger than ever. At a healthy 230 pounds, he's eager to impress coaches at the collegiate level.

"I've gone to camps at Ohio University, UC, Bowling Green and Toledo," he said. "I'm anxious to show colleges I'm good enough to play for their school."

While the rest of the Carlisle team was on the field during a recent practice, Couch was booting field goals on nearby Laughlin Field until the sprinkler system went off.

Couch just smiled, picked up his stuff and moved out of range. After fighting through MRSA, a little water didn't bother him at all.

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2851 or jbombatch@coxohio.com.

MRSA prevention

Proper prevention and management recommendations may include, but are not limited to:

Keep hands clean by washing thoroughly with soap and warm water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer routinely.

Shower immediately following activity.

Avoid whirlpools or common tubs with open wounds, scrapes or scratches.

Avoid sharing towels, razors or daily athletic gear.

Properly wash athletic gear and towels after each use.

Maintain clean facilities and equipment.

Refer to appropriate health care personnel for all active skin lesions and lesions that do not respond to initial therapy.

Administer or seek proper first aid.

Encourage health care personnel to seek bacterial cultures to establish a diagnosis.

Care and cover skin lesions appropriately before participation.

Source: National Athletic Trainers' Association Web site