A Determined Man

That Tim Smith plays lacrosse at all is remarkable. That he plays well enough to be a starting defenseman for Dartmouth this spring is even more amazing.

Six years ago, Smith fell asleep while driving and rammed his car into a telephone pole. He spent nearly four weeks in a hospital, suffering from a severe concussion. When he was released, he walked with a limp and his right hand was paralyzed. He had difficulty talking. Doctors said time would be the only cure.

One of the best athletes in the history of Kingswood School, Smith was captain of his prep football and wrestling teams. He was a lacrosse standout. He was scheduled to enter Dartmouth in the fall of 1966, but when he came home from the hospital, college was a long way off.

Despite his paralysis and speech problems, Tim went to work immediately in a factory near his Farmington, Conn., home. "It was the best thing that could have happened," he said. "Contact with people was the best therapy."

Three months later, Tim had limited use of his right hand. His strength was returning but he had no coordination in the limb. Although his limp disappeared, verbal and written communication were still big problems. Gradually the handicaps disappeared. In 1967 he underwent speech training at the University of Michigan. "It helped but it wasn't complete," he said.

In 1968, Smith returned to Kingswood to reacquaint himself with the academic world. His college goals remained. After the spring term it was agreed that he should enter Dartmouth in the fall. "It was now or never," he recalled. "If I didn't try then, I never would."

It was tough going. "People take reading and writing for granted but it was a real effort to read and comprehend," he said. "Putting thoughts on paper was a difficult process."

He got through freshman year and gained confidence. His limp was gone and he nurtured thoughts of playing football. "The doctors told me to forget it. I turned to lacrosse but I had to convince a lot of people before they'd let me play," he said.

After extensive tests, Smith was fitted with a special football helmet and given permission to play. "The helmet bothered me at first but I wanted to play and the helmet was worth the trouble. I don't think about another head injury. If I did, I'd never play."

The helmet is the only clue to Smith's old injury. "He's one of our top two defensemen," said Coach Dud Hendrick. "He's coachable and tries harder than anyone else."

"Playing lacrosse has made it easier to accept my problems," said the rugged senior. "It has provided an outlet and, more important, has given me contact with a lot of great people. That's the best thing."

While Tim Smith credits lacrosse for his comeback, the real credit belongs to him—and maybe a little to that special football helmet.

Tim Smith '72