The annual tug-of-war game on Olympics Day, Aug. 31, prompted a trip from the paramedics and the fire department.

High-school students were in a tug-of-war competition when the rope snapped and students fell.

Junior Damien Blake fractured his right index finger and two bones in his thumb.

“After the rope snapped, I noticed my hands were covered in blood immediately. I was in shock,” Blake said.

Teacher Joel Rickert immediately wrapped Blake’s hand in a bandana and applied pressure while elevating his arm.

P.E. teacher Michelle Myers was watching the traditional finish to the mock Olympics on Orientation Day, when the rope split.

Myers holds a degree in sports medicine and athletic training. She is also CPR and First Aid certified.

Myers saw seniors Caitlin McNally and Brigit Cvetich badly burn their hands and brought them into the P.E office.

Cvetich and McNally’s hands were iced and wrapped, and they were told to drink water.

But Myers couldn’t assess the damage to Blake immediately.

“Due to the amount of blood, Damien’s pain and not wanting to take off the pressure wraps, which would cause more bleeding, I was not able to visually see the damage,” Myers said.

After receiving permission from Blake’s parents, a teacher called the paramedics.

The paramedics took Blake’s bandage off and informed him that a ripped nail was the source of all the bleeding. Because the injury was not severe, they left without Blake.

Now, Blake wears a metal splint to school.

The most upsetting part to Blake was not the pain but his missed Sept. 8 audition for the Sacramento Youth Symphony.

Blake, a pianist and a cellist, had been rehearsing for a seating audition for the Premier Orchestra.

“It was pretty disheartening, considering the hours of work I put in each week to prepare for it,” he said.

Blake has started physical therapy and is anxiously waiting for recovery to start practicing for his next audition in January. He cannot remove his splint until mid-October.

Patricia Jacobsen, student council adviser, has changes in mind for next year.

A heavy-duty rope made specifically for tug-of-war will be purchased and teams on opposing sides will be reduced to 15 people, instead of a whole grade level.

“It was a very sad end to an otherwise very fun, relaxed day,” Jacobsen said.