April 2, 2007

JEFFERSON CITY, TN-- Until three weeks before his freshman year at Carson-Newman was to begin, Rollie File planned on playing football as a member of the Eagles, a perennial powerhouse in the NCAA's Division II.

Near the end of July, Rollie decided that he wanted to play soccer instead.

Rollie played in three games during his one season with Vital's team, scoring a goal in each of them. In fact, he scored his first goal the first time he touched the ball.

Although his life was cut short by a car accident two weeks ago, Rollie's parents, Steve and Donna File, are working to ensure that his love for C-N soccer will have a lasting effect. To honor their son's memory, the Files have set up a fund to help complete the lighting project underway at Carson-Newman's McCown Soccer Field.

Dr. Ellen Millsaps knows first-hand how much the memorial would have meant to her former student. As a student in her Composition class, Rollie approached an early October deadline for a theme with some trepidation. It seems he was struggling to find a subject.

"I had told the class that they should write on something about which they were passionate," said the English professor. "One day Rollie said, 'You know, I figured out what I'm going to write about,' and he talked about how hot it was to practice during the day and how much better it could be if the field had lights."

Rollie turned in his theme, Soccer Spotlight, on October 3. In it he made his case based on safety issues, the prospect of increasing revenue through tournaments and the ease of scheduling back-to-back matches for the men's and women's teams.

When Millsaps heard about his parents' desire to foster the project in Rollie's name, she said she thought of him.

"Rollie would be so pleased," she smiled. "I know how much this meant to him."

Contributions may be made through C-N's Advancement Office, C-N Box 72017, Jefferson City, TN 37760, at a branch office of Citizens National Bank or by mailing to the File Soccer Field Lighting Fund, c/o Citizens National Bank, P.O. 4610, Sevierville, TN 37864.