Former Bulldog files lawsuit against school district

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By Andrew Petersen | Thursday, June 12, 2008 6:22 PM CDT | () comments

Athletes make numerous sacrifices to show up for offseason workouts, but Doug Smith feels his was especially needless.

On Wednesday, the former Bettendorf football player filed a lawsuit against the Bettendorf Community School District in Scott County District Court.

The lawsuit alleges the school district was at fault for “serious and permanent injury” suffered by Smith during a workout Jan. 4, 2007.

According to the lawsuit, Smith, then 16, and varsity football teammate Jake Eikenberry were participating in a workout at Bettendorf High School under the supervision of a member of the Bulldogs coaching staff.

The coach had the two, then juniors, run through an obstacle course — consisting of two rope ladders and rows of hurdles — as a demonstration for the team’s freshmen. Unimpressed by the first run-through, the coach had Smith and Eikenberry go through it again with specific instructions to “burst out” at the end of the course.

On the second time through, according to the lawsuit, Smith finished first, but as Eikenberry was “bursting out,” he knocked Smith into an exercise bike. The result was Smith “severely cutting” his right index finger.

The lawsuit charges that the bike was too close to the end of the obstacle course, the result of negligent acts on the part of the coach, a school employee.

“I was pretty specific in this suit,” Smith’s attorney, Steve Berger, said. “You either don’t have them burst out, or you set it up where when finishing you don’t put this exercise bike at the end of the course.”

Berger said the laceration to Smith’s finger was deep enough to damage tendons. Consequently, the lawsuit seeks compensation for “temporary and permanent disability,” “past and future loss of use of the mind and body” and future medical expenses.

As of Thursday afternoon, the school district had yet to receive a copy of the lawsuit.

“So, I guess we really mean ‘no comment,’ ” district business and finance director Maxine McEnany said. “We would have to meet with our counsel and look over (the lawsuit).”

Smith played defensive back for the Bulldogs in his senior season, finishing second on the team with 56 tackles. He was selected to the all-Mississippi Athletic Conference first team.

Smith’s father, Dennis, also is named as a plaintiff in the lawsuit in an attempt to collect reimbursement for medical expenses as a result of the injury.

Andrew Petersen can be contacted at (563) 383-2288 or apetersen@qctimes.com. Comment on this story at qctimes.com.