Clark Inspires Teammates

BRIAN WHITWHAM, Free Press Sports Reporter 2004-06-30 01:50:15

When Eric Clark was chosen for Canada's junior inline hockey team to play in the world championship, he said it was a dream come true. "It was the first time I'd ever made a team like this and I was really excited.

"But that all changed."

At about 12:30 a.m. Saturday morning, Clark walked out of a high school graduation party outside Dresden and sat in the passenger seat of a friend's car. The door was open and Clark had his feet on the road.

He said the next thing he remembered was seeing a truck.

"I just looked up and saw the truck coming and then I got knocked out," he said yesterday.

"I don't remember much about the accident."

A truck lost control and then slammed into the car door, jamming it shut on Clark's legs. When firefighters arrived, they had to remove the door to get Clark out of the car.

The accident left Clark with a compound fracture below his right ankle that required surgery. The extent of ligament damage in his left knee is still unknown. He also has stitches in the back of his head from being knocked out.

His injuries have side-lined him for the International Federation of Roller Sports junior world inline hockey championship. The tournament began yesterday at the Western Fair Sports Centre and will run until July 4.

Given the close call, Clark considers himself lucky.

"Lucky that it wasn't worse," he said. "But not so lucky that it happened.

"Because I lost my chance this year to play."

But that didn't prevent Clark from greeting his team yesterday in the dressing room before their game against Australia. He quickly bid the players good luck before going back to Victoria Hospital for tests.

The Canadian team beat Australia 15-0 and forward Kyle Nishizaki, who has known Clark for five years, said the appearance made the entire team feel better.

"Obviously we all felt terrible that he couldn't be here," he said. "We were all excited to see him.

"It was helpful for me anyway, because he's a good friend of mine and I didn't want to see him in a wheel- chair."

Nishizaki said the players all went out yesterday with red tape around their left legs in a display of support for Clark.

Head coach Nic Martins said there are many players on the team from Ontario who know Clark from playing ice and inline hockey with him over the years. Overall, Martins said Clark's misfortune has lifted the team's determination to take gold.

"It's given the guys some added determination to do something for their team- mate," he said adding the team will always hang Clark's jersey near the bench. "He's definitely with us every time we go on the floor."

Canada is 2-0 after an earlier 10-1 win over Britain.

The team will face the United States today at 2:30 p.m. at the Western Fair Sports Centre.

In yesterday's quarter-final match in the women's world championship, Canada beat Australia 14-0 and will face France today at 6 p.m. at Thompson arena.

The men beat France in the quarter-finals 4-1 and will face the Czech Republic today at 7:30 p.m. at Thompson arena.