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Dykstra remains in critical condition

Orange and green ribbons were hung throughout the campus as symbols of the community's care and concern. Rollie Dykstra's locker is located in the old gymnasium locker room. / photo by Christian Velazco
Orange and green ribbons were hung throughout the campus as symbols of the community’s care and concern. Rollie Dykstra’s locker is located in the old gymnasium locker room. / photo by Christian Velazco

by Amanda Stutevoss
Editor in Chief
and Matt Paulson
Sports Editor

As Leopard quarterback Rollie Dykstra clung to life Wednesday, the University of La Verne community gathered in La Fetra Auditorium to pray for a miracle.

The room overflowed with La Verne community members, who sat silently in prayer, four days after a hard tackle during the annual homecoming game, which left Dykstra in a coma and dependent on life support at Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center, where he remained in critical condition Thursday afternoon.

In the auditorium’s front row sat the Dykstra family beside head football coach Don Morel.

As they choked back tears of uncertainty, more than 100 friends and teammates walked to the makeshift alter at the front of the packed auditorium to light candles and say silent prayers for the fallen football player.

The silence was tangible. And deafening.

Teary-eyed classmates were decorated with green and orange ribbons with the name Rollie and his number 12, each ribbon a tribute to Dykstra.

Orange and green ribbons hung on trees and buildings across campus, reminding students of the events that unfolded Saturday.

Dykstra, 24, is from Redlands. Saturday’s big game pit him against his hometown rival, a school that he would have liked to have played for. Instead, Dykstra was suited in orange and green and prepared to start as quarterback for La Verne.

The events of Saturday began after Dykstra’s last option run. The Leopards were down 14-0 with 14:10 remaining in the second. Instead of pitching the ball back to teammate Justin Wolfchief on a right option, Dykstra kept the ball and lunged toward the end zone in hopes of starting a Leopard scoring rally. Dykstra was hit before reaching the goal line by Bulldog senior Scott Murtishaw. He was stopped in his tracks and forced to fumble.

Dykstra appeared shaken afterwards and was assisted off the field by head athletic trainer Jim May and freshman offensive lineman Jon Marty.

Roughly five minutes later, Dykstra was lying on the sidelines in convulsions and was tended to by May, training supervisor Paul Alvarez and training student A.J. Tsapanos.

May refused repeated requests to speak to the Campus Times.

The game clock continued to tick for another six minutes, allowing Redlands to score 10 more points before the game was stopped.

Both teams moved into the opposite end zone and watched as Dykstra received emergency medical attention near the 30-yard line.

La Verne paramedics arrived on the scene approximately 25 minutes after Dykstra was helped off the field.

Eight minutes later, he was taken by ambulance to Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center, as the teams retreated to their respective locker rooms for an extended halftime.

At that point, the coaching staffs, athletic directors and presidents of both institutions decided to cancel the game.

“You can’t go wrong by making that call,” said athletic director Jim Paschal. “You have 200 people on the sidelines who have no interest in playing.”

“There are more important things than football right now,” Alvarez said Saturday, choking back tears. “The energy that would have been used to play football should be used to say some prayers.”

Quarterback Rollie Dykstra awaits the snap from the center at Wednesday night's practice, about 8 p.m. / photo by Christian Velazco
Quarterback Rollie Dykstra awaits the snap from the center at Wednesday night’s practice, about 8 p.m. / photo by Christian Velazco

Rumors that Dykstra had suffered a minor concussion in the Oct. 5 game against California Lutheran University began circulating across campus soon after the injury. On Wednesday, Dykstra’s father confirmed those rumors ­ that Dykstra indeed suffered a concussion and complained of severe headaches for weeks following the Cal Lu game ­ in an interview with the Los Angeles Times.

University of La Verne spokeswoman Deborah Mandabach declined to comment, saying that a federal law protects ULV students and their right to privacy.

Terry Francke, general counsel for the California First Amendment Coalition said the administration’s silence is not surprising.

“My guess is they are refusing to comment because they expect that they are going to be sued – with good reason,” he said.

Dykstra, a first year student at ULV, began his college football career at San Bernardino Valley College, leading his junior college team to the 9-2 record in 1997, while gaining all-conference recognition.

He then transferred to Division I-AA Florida A&M, where he played in only one game against Miami in 1999. He returned home after the game. Distance was a factor in his decision to leave Florida, along with the fact that he was an expectant father.

Amanda Stutevoss, Editor in Chief
Amanda Stutevoss
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Matt Paulson, Editor in Chief
Matt Paulson
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Christian Velazco
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