Scott McClelland returned to Noblesville High School Wednesday night after a game in Hamilton Heights and was helping student leaders put away basketballs and water bottles when he got a call no one ever anticipates or wants to get .
McClelland’s wife Sonja, who was on her way home from the game, was in a car accident in the 21200 block of Cumberland Road in Noblesville and rushed to Ascension St. Vincent’s Hospital, along with her mother , Mitsuko (Mitsy) Curls, and the McClellands’ daughter, Anna, 11.
“I think the first reaction is, ‘Is everyone okay? “, McClelland said. “Then you try to figure it out and the most important thing for me is to stay positive and kind of be a rock to my family.”
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The answer to McClelland’s first question is “yes,” even though all three were still admitted to St. Vincent Friday morning. His mother-in-law has eight broken ribs, a fractured back and a lacerated spleen and his wife had been released early Thursday morning and was spending time with Anna, who broke both arms but was readmitted early Friday morning for a further evaluation. .
McClelland was on his way to St. Vincent on Friday morning to be with his family.
“It’s been a crazy last 24 to 36 hours,” he said. “The power of prayer is mighty. I got so many emails, texts and phone calls and we were lucky to have good doctors and good medicine. The outpouring of support has been overwhelming, especially among the basketball community.
McClelland said he was still unsure of all the details of the crash other than that it involved three vehicles. A car traveling northbound on Cumberland Road collided with two cars, including the vehicle Sonja was driving, heading south.
“We’re holding our ground and believe everyone will be fine,” McClelland said. “They had just come home from the game and had visited (Hamilton Heights coach) Chad Ballenger, who is a good friend of ours and (women’s basketball coach Keegan Cherry), congratulating his team on a great season.”
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Later that night, Ballenger was in St. Vincent, along with Noblesville assistant Matt Fine and McClelland’s former Morristown assistant Kevin Crim. He heard from many others throughout the day Thursday as the news spread through the basketball coaching circle.
“It shows how powerful the basketball coaching community is in this state,” he said. “I’m lucky to have so many good friends in my family.”
Anna, a fifth grader, had to have surgery on one of her broken arms, but McClelland said she was in good spirits and could be discharged as early as Friday. His mother-in-law, given the extent of her injuries and her age (84), will likely need a longer stay.
McClelland missed practice Thursday and said he was unlikely to coach Friday night’s Hoosier Crossroads Conference game in Brownsburg, likely leaving his assistants Fine and Michael Bennett to coach the ‘team.
“Obviously (basketball) is very important to me and important to these kids,” McClelland said. “People can’t stop doing what they’re doing. I told them I would be a game-time decision, but with this latest situation (Sonja being readmitted), I’m probably going to sit down in everyone’s best interest.
Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at 317-444-6649.