As the starting center for the South Medford High football team, Evan Roberts has plenty to think about.

Responsibilities include remembering the snap count, making sure the quarterback gets the ball in easy-to-handle fashion and blocking the correct defensive lineman or linebacker.

For Roberts, there’s one more crucial item: His blood sugar level.

Roberts is a type 1 diabetic, meaning that he must control his blood sugar level with insulin shots or an insulin pump. (Type 2 diabetics can control their levels with medicine).

The senior wears an insulin pump, along with a glucose monitor, on his belt loop. The pump has a tube that runs into his abdomen, enabling him to inject himself with insulin.

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The injections are needed when Roberts’ blood sugar level climbs above 140. When it drops below 70, he must consume an energy bar or a drink rich in sugar such as Gatorade or apple juice to get his level back where it needs to be.

"I wear the pump 24/7," says Roberts, who contracted diabetes at the age of 13 after a virus attacked his pancreas. "The only time I take it off is when I’m taking a shower."

Roberts says that coping with the ailment can be tricky when playing sports.

"If I’m working out hard at practice my blood sugar level can drop pretty quickly," Roberts says. "I’ll start to feel shaky and get that ‘blah’ feeling. That’s when I need to drink some Gatorade.

"But if I’m getting ready for a game and my adrenaline kicks in, then my blood sugar shoots up and I’ll need to go to the pump.

"It’s something I’ve got to be aware of at all times. The last thing I want to have happen is to pass out on the field."

Roberts admits it was quite a shock to learn he had contracted the disease just a few months after becoming a teenager.

"It was tough at first, but I just told myself this is something I’ve got to deal with," he says.

The second time Roberts needed a shot, he administered it to himself, and it wasn’t long before he opted for the pump.

"When I had the shots, I had to wake up every day at the same time and eat at the same time," he says. "With the pump I can sleep in.

"It’s important for me to be independent and live my life as normally as possible."

Roberts certainly doesn’t let his malady bother him in the classroom, where he carries a 3.9 (out of a possible 4.0) grade-point average. He’s a member of the Torch Honor Society and serves as a big brother to a handful of freshmen in the school’s Links program.

Roberts is also an ambassador for the local chapter of the American Diabetes Association. He participates in fund-raising walks and works the raffle table seeking donations.

"I know there are kids out there who think they have limits if they get this disease," says Roberts, who plans to attend Oregon Tech next year and major in mechanical engineering. "They’re afraid to go out for sports and do other stuff. I think it’s important to chase your dreams, no matter what.

"Don’t let diabetes keep you down."

Roberts played behind second-team all-conference center Jeremy Stahler the past two seasons, spending most of this time on the South Medford JV team. Although undersized for a lineman at 5-foot- 10 and 198 pounds, Roberts broke into the starting lineup during fall practice and has helped the Panthers to a 2-1 record against some of the best competition in the state.

"Evan has played far better than we ever expected," says South Medford coach Bill Singler, whose ninth-ranked Panthers play host to Crater on Friday. "He’s an undersized lineman who has gotten the most out of his ability."

The wins have been rewarding, but for Roberts, just being out on the field is a victory in itself.

Reach reporter Don Hunt at 776-4469, or e-mail dhunt@mailtribune.com