Injury cancels games
Campus Times
October 25, 2002
The University of La Verne football team has cancelled its Saturday
game against Azusa Pacific University in honor of teammate Rollie Dykstra,
who remains in critical condition Thursday after suffering a serious head
injury.
The contest was scheduled to be the Cougars' homecoming game and the
38th matchup between the two teams.
"I believe it really says something positive about our perspectives
on college athletics at the University," head coach Don Flora said.
"We wouldn't be fully focused on playing a game; Rollie is foremost
on our minds."
APU's athletic director Bill Odell expressed the utmost sympathy for
the Leopards' situation and agreed with the decision to cancel the match
up, he said.
The decision follows the cancellation of the second half of last Saturday's
game.
With 8:14 left in the second quarter, play was stopped to allow Dykstra
to receive medical attention.
Following consideration by both coaches, it was decided that the remaining
time in the first half would be run off the clock, and the two sides would
go into the locker rooms early for an extended halftime.
After further thought by the presidents, coaches and athletic directors
of both institutions, the decision to cancel the remainder of ULV's homecoming
game was reached.
"You can't go wrong by making that call," athletic director
Jimmy Paschal said. "You have 200 people on the sidelines who have
no interest in playing."
Everyone involved in the game felt the inevitable shock of the situation.
"There are certainly more important things than football,"
Paul Alvarez, athletic training clinical experience supervisor, said as
he fought back tears. "The energy that would have been used to play
football should be used to say some prayers."
Dykstra's teammates also agreed with the decision, and their hearts
are with their fallen teammate.
"No one really wants to play. We're like a family," junior
kicker Ian Britt said.
Dykstra, a native of Redlands, had close friends on both sides of the
gridiron Saturday.
"Both teams felt it," junior Bulldog Les Simon said. "I
think it was a smart choice. You hate to see a game end like this, but it's
for the best."