Eisenman had Central's biggest comeback By Eric Bentzinger Comebacks were a Central trademark last fall as the Dutch were outgained in seven of the 10 regular-season victories, trailed in six games and needed fourth-quarter scores to prevail four times. But those turnarounds pale in comparison to the one pulled off by defensive back Chad Eisenman. Less than six months before the season opener, Eisenman lay in a coma and had lost 45 pounds. Doctors were telling his parents there was nothing left they could do. Yet on Sept. 1, Eisenman was on the field as a cornerback for an Iowa Conference champion Dutch squad that went on to win 12 straight games before falling in the NCAA Division III playoff quarterfinals. Following the remarkable recovery, Eisenman is even more prepared as he enters his senior season as a starter. But in the early spring of 2007, he wasn’t thinking about football. He suffered from bad headaches, chills and a fever. He checked himself into the local hospital in late March and was diagnosed with severe dehydration. But when Eisenman returned to the hospital the next day he could barely walk from his car to the emergency room. He was quickly transferred from the Pella Regional Medical Center to Methodist Hospital in Des Moines. The ambulance ride is the last event he remembers from the next two weeks. Eisenman was suffering from Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, severe pneumonia and a blood infection. The doctors at Methodist decided to induce a coma and put ice on Eisenman's body because his fever was so high. It was then they told his parents there was nothing more they could do. Because of heavy medication, Eisenman was hallucinating and he remembers very little of that time, but three weeks later his fever finally leveled off and he began to show signs of improvement. Eisenman does remember the doctor telling him he could make a full recovery. “I was originally scared I would not recover,” said Eisenman. “Once the doctors told me I could make a full recovery, I told myself there was no way I was going to miss out on football. I was going to do whatever it took.” Eisenman knew he had a long battle in front of him as he weighed 140 pounds (down from his usual 185). Not only had he missed out on an important part of the offseason strength and speed work, his muscles had atrophied so significantly he needed help just to sit up. With less than four months before football practices started, Eisenman had to learn to walk again. He eventually moved up to riding a stationary bike in Central’s weight room to condition his lungs. Once he conquered that hurdle, Eisenman began to lift weights. “I had to start lifting from scratch because my muscles had deteriorated so much,” he said. “I hadn't eaten solid food for three weeks. After a month and a half, I started to tell myself I could push myself and play again.” Despite all he had been through, once Eisenman was told he could make a full recovery coach Jeff McMartin was confident Eisenman would be ready for the football season. “We didn't question his health or worry about something putting him back in the hospital,” said McMartin. “He lost a lot of weight and strength during a key time of our offseason so we were concerned about that. We were confident in him because he is competitive, a hard worker and a hard-nosed young man. We knew he was mentally and physically tough enough.” Eisenman concluded his long recovery Sept. 1 when he started Central’s opening game against St. Thomas. He started every game before sustaining an elbow injury in the opening-round contest of the playoffs would sideline him for the remainder of the season. Eisenman recorded 25 tackles, with five pass breakups, an interception and a blocked field-goal attempt. Eisenman credits the support he received from Central as a factor in his recovery. “It was crazy how much support I got,” he said. “When I realized what was going on I remember the hospital room being filled with balloons and cards. There was a big Central flag with all of the players' autographs. All of the coaches were there multiple times to visit and see how I was doing. It was unbelievable the amount of effort they went through. Once I was released from the hospital, (head athletic trainer) Lesle Duinink and (strength and conditioning coordinator) Jake Anderson worked with me individually and really helped me a lot. Part of the reason I came through was the support I received." As Eisenman prepares for his senior season of football, he admits he looks back to last year and has a different perspective. “I always thought that stuff like this happened to other people and not me,” he said. “I cherish football a lot more. There is not a guarantee that I am going to play again and it is not something I take for granted. My whole perspective on life has changed a lot.” | ||
| Permalink | Jul 14, 2008 | ||
Central's biggest comeback The Central Dutch were known for their comeback tendencies last season, a year in which the team reached the national quarterfinals despite needing four fourth-quarter comebacks in 10 regular season games. But the comebacks of the whole pale in comparison to the comeback put together by defensive back Chad Eisenman, who, six months before the season opened, was in a coma. Read how Eisenman worked himself back into shape, plus, a new outlook on life in a feature story. Plus, to get ready for the season, scroll down for information about ordering Kickoff 2008. | ||
| Permalink | Jul 14, 2008 | ||
NAC adds Anna Maria for opening season The North Atlantic Conference announced the addition of Anna Maria as an associate member in football. The conference and Anna Maria will first sponsor football in 2009. The AMcats will be eligible for awards and compete against NAC football institutions beginning with their inaugural season in 2009 but will not have a full conference schedule until 2010. Anna Maria joins full conference members Husson (Bangor, Maine) and Castleton State along with five associate members: Becker, Gallaudet, SUNY-Maritime, Mount Ida and Norwich. “We are pleased to welcome Anna Maria to the NAC and look forward to their participation,” said commissioner Julie Muller. “Our current football members have newer programs and Anna Maria’s participation during their inaugural season will be a good fit for the conference. The extensive plans the school has for facility development and their commitment to creating a quality football program were the major factors for membership acceptance.” Anna Maria recently announced the addition of new sport programs in addition to facility upgrades including an expanded and renovated indoor fitness facility with state-of-the art fitness equipment along the development of a new outdoor multi-purpose synthetic turf field. “Joining the North Atlantic Conference in football is exciting for the entire Anna Maria College community,” says David Shea, athletic director for AMC. “The expansion of our varsity sports program to include football opens up tremendous opportunities for our current and future students. Being a part of the North Atlantic Conference will allow us to expand our recruiting from both a geographic and demographic perspective as we continue to seek out both exceptional students and accomplished athletes.” The conference will not be eligible for an automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Football Championship even with eight playing members since it does not meet the NCAA requirement for four core members. | ||
| Permalink | Jul 14, 2008 | ||
Elmhurst hires rival's assistant
Elmhurst has named Tim Lester head football coach. Lester becomes the 17th head coach in school history, taking over for Tom Journell, who resigned last month to take the defensive coordinator position at UW-Stevens Point. Lester is certainly no stranger to the Bluejays' football program. He began his collegiate coaching career at Elmhurst in 2002 and spent two seasons as the Bluejays' offensive coordinator. Lester's offensive units broke 11 school records and the 2003 squad averaged more than 395 yards and more than 30 points per game. "I'm thrilled to be coming back to Elmhurst College," said Lester. "Elmhurst gave me my first opportunity in coaching and it has held a special place for me ever since. I'm excited to have the opportunity to come back and finish what we started." Originally from Wheaton, Ill., Lester attended Wheaton Warrenville South and was a member of the state title team in 1992. He quarterbacked the Tigers to back-to-back conference titles in 1993 and 1994 before becoming one of the most prolific passers in NCAA history. A 2000 graduate of Western Michigan with a bachelor's degree in mathematics, Lester rewrote the school's record book. He finished his career as Western Michigan's all-time leading passer and set 17 school records. Lester wrapped up his career ranked fifth in NCAA history in passing yards (11,299) and seventh in touchdown passes (89). Lester played professionally in the AFL, af2 and XFL. After his two-year coaching stint with the Bluejays, Lester served as head coach of Saint Joseph's (Ind.) during the 2004 season. He led the Division II program to a 7-4 finish, its second-best record ever. With Lester's guidance, the Pumas turned in a five-game improvement from the previous season and broke seven school records. Lester returned to Western Michigan where he served as the quarterback's coach for the 2005 and 2006 seasons, and spent last season as defensive coordinator at North Central. The Cardinals' defense finished the season ranked 18th in the nation in rushing defense (88.1 yards per game), 12th in interceptions (21), 17th in turnovers gained (33), and 18th in sacks (3.33 per game). Lester inherits a team that has posted three consecutive winning seasons with identical 6-4 records. The Bluejays return 11 starters (seven on offense, four on defense) from the 2007 squad. With the start of the season right around the corner, Lester is excited about the work that lies ahead. "There's a lot of work that goes into being successful in the CCIW," he said. "We'll have to get our system installed, and familiarize our players with it before the season-opening contest, but, I know that our players possess the talent to help our team reach the next level. If our players buy into our system, then I believe we'll be able to build a program that can consistently challenge for a CCIW title." | ||
| Permalink | Jul 14, 2008 | ||
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