Unexpected changeover

Barry Faulkner

When UC Irvine senior Brian Morton led the Anteaters to their first

Big West Conference men’s tennis title since 1993 and a berth in the

NCAA championships, it was supposed to amplify a successful swan song

to a notable competitive career.

But, just days after the conference-clinching triumph April 24

over the University of the Pacific, that swan song was drowned out by

the sounds of shattering glass, crinkling chassis, glaring sirens and

the monotonous mechanical beeping that forms the backbeat of the

intensive care unit.

While his teammates prepare for a May 14 NCAA first-round date at

No. 7-ranked Pepperdine, Morton, a former CIF Southern Section

doubles champion at Corona del Mar High, has, for the most part,

maintained a bedside vigil at Western Medical Center in Santa Ana,

where his father, Glenn Morton, remains in a coma.

Glenn, a tennis pro who began tutoring Brian at age 3, remains in

critical condition after being hit head-on in his Volkswagen van by a

vehicle that veered into oncoming traffic on Adams Avenue, April 27

in Costa Mesa.

Brian said his father, whom he considers a great friend as much as

a parent, has opened his eyes on brief occasions. But the 49-year-old

Glenn is still unresponsive and doctors, while encouraged by his

prime physical condition, have prepared the family, including

daughters Heather and Melissa, for what, at best, could be a long,

harrowing rehabilitation process. As with any brain trauma victim,

doctors can attach no degree of certainty to the effectiveness of

such rehabilitation.

“My entire family has been at the hospital by his side, really

pulling for him,” said Brian, who has taken on the responsibility of

running his father’s affairs and coordinating a trust set up to

defray medical costs (for information on donations, call (714)

356-6540). “There has been such great support from the community and

it has been nice for us, as a family, to know he has touched so many

lives.”

Brian’s life -- including classes and tennis workouts -- has been

virtually put on hold.

“I took a midterm the other day and teachers and professors have

been amazingly supportive,” said Brian, who has not seen his

teammates or picked up a racquet since the accident.

“I’ve just really tried to focus on my dad and him getting

better,” Brian said. “For him to be alive and to have opened his eyes

... a lot of people don’t ever get to that point after being in

accidents like his.”

Brian said former teammate Jonathan Endrikat, a UCI assistant

coach this season, has been in phone contact every day and Anteaters

Coach Steve Clark, as well as senior teammate Peter Surapol have also

been consistent with their support and concern.

Brian also credits the support of fiancee Brittany Reitz, a former

CdM High tennis standout now playing at the University of San Diego.

Brian, on schedule to graduate with a degree in economics this

summer with plans for a career in finance, is committed to compete

for the Anteaters (14-8) next week. He said his recent layoff should

not affect his game, as it might other players.

“I’ve always been pretty loose on the court and had a pretty loose

game,” said Brian, who is 12-10 at No. 1 singles this season, 17-11

overall. “I won’t need to play much to get my timing back and I’ll

play some time in the next week, before the [Pepperdine] match.”

Clark agrees that Brian, a first-team All-Big West Conference

performer in singles and doubles this spring, should be at full

strength against Pepperdine (21-2), which defeated the visiting

Anteaters, 5-2, on Feb. 9. The Waves, who won the West Coast

Conference for the 15th straight season, have won 19 straight home matches, dating back to March 19, 2004.

“Myself and the team totally understand his situation and we

totally trust him,” Clark said.

While anxious to play, Brian, who admits the last 10 days have

taken an emotional toll, wonders how he’ll react to not having his

dad in the stands Saturday.

“He taught me how to play tennis and he has spent hours coaching

me on the court,” Brian said of the former director of tennis at Mesa

Verde Country Club in Costa Mesa. “Sometimes that father-son

combination doesn’t work out, but it has with us. The last few years,

he has been so supportive and he was always there watching me. It

will be tough not having him there.”