Barnes Goes From Sideline to Dotted Line

Dan Barnes was seven years old when he attended his first football game.

“It was USC in the Rose Bowl,” Barnes said. “I think USC won. But I don’t remember much, just a red jersey making a touchdown. I knew then that that was my team.”

Ten years later, USC really is Barnes’ team.

Barnes, a 17-year-old senior at El Camino Real High School in Woodland Hills, officially became a Trojan when he signed a letter of intent Wednesday, the first day high school seniors across the nation could do so.

The signing marked a dream come true for Barnes. It also helped end a nightmarish year that saw the 6-4, 240-pound youth spend as much time on the sideline as he did on the field.

In his junior season, Barnes, a defensive end, suffered a broken left wrist in a game against Cleveland. He missed the last three regular season games and the 42-21 loss to Carson in the opening round of the City 4-A playoffs.

Last February, while he was preparing for the track season, Barnes suffered the first of three foot injuries.

“I was just running some stairs when I caught a stair,” Barnes said. The original diagnosis was ligament damage in the right foot, but it turned out to be a broken foot.

Despite the injury, Barnes continued in track--throwing the shot and running in the 110-meter hurdles and 200-meter dash.

In April, Barnes was jumping rope when his right foot came down on the rope, causing a stress fracture.

The cast on his foot came off in July, but went back on a month later. The first August day El Camino practiced in pads, Barnes broke his right foot again.

He spent five more weeks in a cast and missed the first five games of his senior season. Barnes’ doctor, who was unhappy with the way the foot was healing, suggested surgery. Barnes suggested to himself he see another doctor.

Barnes visited two more doctors. Both told him he could play football. That’s all Barnes wanted to hear.

“It ripped me apart not playing,” Barnes said. “I was very depressed. But I refused to give up something that I really like to do.”

So Barnes played in the Conquistadores’ last three games as a linebacker, returning against Cleveland.

“He did very well in a short period of time,” El Camino Coach Skip Giancanelli said. “Had he played all year he would have been an all-City performer for sure. He would have been among the most valuable on the team.”

Barnes started attracting attention from colleges as early as his sophomore year. It continued as a junior despite the broken wrist.

But Barnes felt that being on the sideline with crutches was no way to impress the recruiters.

“I felt I was good enough to play at a major college,” Barnes said, “but I was prepared to go to a JC (junior college).

USC was prepared to make him a Trojan. The school contacted Barnes before he played a down as a senior.

The Trojans liked what they saw of Barnes in his limited duty. Last week, USC offered him the scholarship he coveted.

“Foster Andersen (an assistant coach) called me and said, ‘Would you want to be a Trojan?’ ” Barnes said. “I said, ‘Yeah, I really would like to.’ So he said, ‘OK, then, you’re a Trojan.’

“I kind of hit the roof. That was the best feeling. I’m really happy.”

And healthy, or at least getting there.

Barnes said the foot is at 90% of full strength. He has been on the varsity basketball team all season and will begin track once the basketball playoffs are over.

He’d like to participate in track at USC, but his main emphasis will be on football. Barnes, who wants to put on at least 20 pounds, will start his Trojan career as a defensive end.

“He has a lot of potential,” Giancanelli said. “For his size, he’s very quick. He has good mobility and that’s what the big schools are looking for.”

And now Barnes is looking for a chance to play in that Rose Bowl game that so entranced him as a child.

Barnes was to be one of two Valley-area players to sign with USC on Wednesday. The other, Canyon’s Brent Parkinson, didn’t sign because of the death of his grandmother Tuesday. Parkinson, The Times’ Valley Lineman of the Year, is still expected to sign with the Trojans.

Michael Pringle, an all-City running back from Kennedy, decided on Washington State. Kennedy lineman Bill Schultz was still undecided.

Desmond Cerceo, the quarterback at Granada Hills, signed with San Diego State.

Three San Fernando players signed. John Brazil, the Tigers’ quarterback, is off to University of Texas, El Paso, as is cornerback James Gordon. Mike Daniels, a fullback and linebacker for San Fernando, signed with the University of New Mexico.

John Austin, a defensive end for San Fernando, is still deciding between Texas El Paso and Fresno State.

Tim Stallworth, Montclair Prep’s wide receiver, signed with Washington State.

Matt Hickman, a lineman for Camarillo’s Coastal Conference championship team, signed with University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Hickman’s teammate, Scott Cline, will probably play baseball in college. Cline, a quarterback, was The Times’ Back of the Year.

Mike Ford, the all-Southern Section linebacker from Hart, said he is considering playing at either Cal State Northridge, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Valley College or University of Northern Arizona.

Defensive back David Sipes, the co-MVP along with Parkinson on the Canyon team, is planning to try to make the Notre Dame team as a walk-on.