COEUR d'ALENE — When Rho Zaragoza heard soccer player Ashton Poulsen let out a sound during a scrimmage on Thursday, the coach was alarmed at what he saw.

"He had a bewildered look on his face in distress and reached for his throat," Zaragoza, a nurse and acupuncturist, said of the 13-year-old. "He was taking short, gaspy breaths, his color was blanched and his lips were purple. I knew he was in big trouble so I immediately got him to the ground."

Zaragoza rendered first aid, had parent James Fellows dial Ashton's mother, Jenny, and asked his son, Cameron, to retrieve his gym bag on the field. The bag contained acupuncture needles.

"It was quite a juggling act," the coach said.

Zaragoza applied pressure on the lower part of Ashton's left leg and, when he didn't see the results he wanted, he applied two needles in the boy's leg.

"Acupuncture is awesome," said Zaragoza, who coaches ACI in the Coeur d'Alene Parks and Recreation League. "I always carry needles with me for moments like this. It is quick and effective."

Soon thereafter, Ashton became stable before an ambulance arrived.

"It could have been grave," Zaragoza said. "He was headed down that path."

Jenny was with one of her other sons nearby at the soccer fields at Skyway Elementary when Zaragoza called her.

"I panicked at first, thinking he sprained an ankle or broke a leg," she said. "The coach said he was having an episode, so I hurried over there and Ashton was lying down. By the time I got there his breathing was under control."

Jenny said she's thankful for Zaragoza's quick response.

"The coach was very calm, knowledgeable and helpful," she said. "He was with Ashton the whole time and made sure that he was OK."

Emergency responders were called to the field to check Ashton as a precaution.

Jenny said Ashton doesn't have asthma or any other medical condition that she's aware of. She said about two and a half years ago, Ashton was playing soccer and had an episode in which he couldn't catch his breath, before he began breathing again.

Fellows said Zaragoza immediately took control of the situation.

"I could tell when he pushed pressure points on his legs that the coach must have known something that I didn't," Fellows said. "I didn't know that he was an acupuncturist until he started to do that. It all went really well. It definitely could've been very bad. I don't think that I'd be able to calm him down that quickly before the EMTs got there."

Zaragoza, who owns Ancient Lake Acupuncture in Hayden, said some people mistakenly believe acupuncture can be performed only on adults.

The coach described Ashton as a talented player who gives it his all.

"He plays with his full heart," Zaragoza said.