School copes with aftermath of football player's injury

By: ANDREA MOSS -- Staff Writer
Charitable fund established for Scott 'Scotty' Eveland's rehabilitation | Tuesday, September 18, 2007 11:38 AM PDT ∞

SAN MARCOS -- Mission Hills High School brought in psychologists and extra counselors Monday to assist grieving students and a nearby church held a vigil, as the school coped with news that one of its football players was severely injured. View A Video

Linebacker Scott Eveland, 17, fell unconscious Friday during a football game against Santee's West Hills High School, on Mission Hills High's field. He has been in a coma in the critical care unit at Palomar Medical Center ever since.

Doctors say the teen suffered a severe blow to the head. Exactly how and when the injury occurred is unclear, with witnesses reporting that Eveland stumbled and appeared dazed before coaches told him to lay down on the sidelines. An ambulance rushed the linebacker to the hospital shortly thereafter.

On Monday, friends of the teen and his family set up a charitable fund at Discovery Bank, with donations earmarked for the football player's rehabilitation. And Mission Hills Church, which located near the high school, held a vigil for students, parents and others who wanted a chance to come together and pray on behalf of Eveland.

"All we can do is be as positive as we can and keep going," Teammate Torey Williams said.

Several hundred teenagers, clad in jeans and sneakers, filled the large sanctuary of Mission Hills Church on Monday evening to show support for Eveland at a special 7 p.m. prayer service. Many wore large white or black T-shirts that resembled jerseys with Eveland's last name spelled out on the back.

Mission Hills pastor Chico Goff told those gathered that the service was "not about a school or a particular community or a particular sport. It's about people, all students, and coaches and teachers and administrators caring for each other and supporting each other in a very difficult time."

Mission Hills High Principal Brad Lichtman held a news conference at the school, telling reporters the teen's condition remained unchanged.

Standing in front of a giant banner that proclaimed students' support for the football player, the principal said school officials ---- including the football team's coaches ---- had yet to watch videotapes of Friday's game, even though doing so might reveal how linebacker was hurt.

"There will be a time when we will review the tapes," said Lichtman. "Right now, we are going to focus on supporting the family."

High school football coaches typically review game footage within days after a game, to verify their teams' performances and statistics. Lichtman said that was not done this time because the Mission Hills football team has no game scheduled this week, and school officials have been too busy "being there" for the injured player and his family to get to the tapes of Friday's game.

Community members were quick to rally around Eveland and his family, with about 200 people attending a prayer vigil at the school Saturday night. Hospital spokesman Andy Hoang said Monday that about 300 of the teen's teammates, fellow students and friends have come by the hospital, where they have been allowed to visit Eveland in small groups.

Neurosurgeon Vrijesh Tantuwaya is overseeing the teen's treatment, which has included at least one surgery to relieve pressure and swelling in his brain, Hoang said. The videotapes are irrelevant from a medical standpoint, Hoang said, because it is clear Eveland suffered a severe head injury.

Although the football player's young and otherwise healthy condition might conceivably help him in the long run, Hoang said doctors can only "wait and see" what happens in such a situation.

"At this point, it is too early to offer any type of prognosis," he said.

Lichtman, who is acting as a spokesman for Eveland's mother, stepfather, father and a younger brother in Mission Hills High's sophomore class, said they have received hundreds of messages of support.

Although the teen's ability to hear right now is unknown, the principal said Eveland's family has been reading some of those messages aloud to the injured football player.

"Mom is tremendous," Lichtman said, "It's a very hard time for the family. She continues to request privacy, time to be with Scotty. She and I talk frequently. I can't emphasize enough how important it is to her to receive messages of support and encouragement and prayers."

Describing Eveland as an honor student who loved to debate politics, world affairs and economics with teachers and fellow students, the principal said school officials spent "quite a while" talking to the football player's teammates and coach Saturday morning.

The team spent part of the same day pushing white plastic cups into a chain-link fence near the school's student parking lot, spelling out "In our hearts," the silhouette of a heart and "Scotty." By Monday, student-created banners bearing similar messages and "54," the number Eveland wears on his football jersey, were plastered around Mission Hills High.

"The posters on campus, the cups, just help people to know who he is," said teammate Tyler Hanks, 17. "The signs are a tribute to him."

Donations to the charitable fund for Eveland can be sent to the attention of Sheree Keller or Chad Ownby in care of Discovery Bank, 338 Via Vera Cruz, San Marcos, CA 92069; or to the attention of Jolene Clark at Mission Hills High School's Finance Office, 1 Mission Hills Court, San Marcos, CA 92069. Family friend Jeff Butler said organizers expect to establish a PayPal link that will allow people to contribute to the fund from the school's Web site.

"The future's unclear," Lichtman said, explaining the reasoning behind the fund's creation. "But we remain optimistic, and we want to be prepared for that."

Call the bank at (760) 736-8900 or the school's finance office at (760) 290-2713 for more information.

-- Staff writers Keith Rushing and John Maffei contributed to this story. Contact staff writer Andrea Moss at (760) 739-6654 or amoss@nctimes.com.

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