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E-mailP-T student filmed Friday's fence collapse
He said he hopes he never again catches footage as frightening as his classmates spilling over a fence that collapsed at the Woodland Hills "Wolvarena" football field Friday night in Turtle Creek.
"I was thinking, is this really happening?" said Musser, a senior from Trafford.
Musser, who enjoys videography as a hobby, said the club films sporting events to earn class credit and to allow coaches to review team performance. He wasn't the only student filming action as the Penn-Trafford Warriors played the Woodland Hills Wolverines. His assignment was to catch student fans.
"I was down on the field and started filming the kids. When they started falling, I stopped filming to see if everyone was all right and if I could help anyone," he said.
"I hope I never see anything like that again," he said.
Penn-Trafford Principal Scott Inglese said of the five students who were transported to a hospital from the fence collapse, one boy missed school for treatment.
Inglese said parents of the injured students were planning to meet Wednesday evening to discuss the incident.
"It was an unfortunate accident," said George Novak, Woodland Hills football coach and athletic director. "We as a school district feel very bad about it. Fortunately nobody was seriously injured.
"My hat's off to Penn-Trafford Principal Scott Inglese, he did a great job, as did Coach (Art) Tragesser," Novak said. "There were three doctors on the scene and paramedics and within five minutes we had five more paramedic trucks. Anybody that looked like they needed it were taken to Forbes Regional Hospital. To do that in 20 minutes, everyone did a nice job."
Novak said there are plans for an $8 million renovation at the Wolvarena.
The renovation will include an artificial surface, new concession stands, larger restrooms, larger locker rooms and improved parking, he said.
Novak said he believes the stadium was built in 1949. The fence was replaced in the 1990s, he said.
"That fence has always been pretty sturdy," Novak said. "It was an unfortunate accident. We try to keep the students away from the fence. It's a tough task because it's also the walkway."
Novak said he has been the football coach and athletic director at Woodland Hills for 19 years and has never experienced a similar problem.
Crews were working on repairing the fence throughout this week.
"We have a large band festival there this weekend," Novak said. "They're repairing the fence. It's almost finished."
Pat Dawson, Woodland Hills' public relations director, said security had asked the students to move from that area. "They had been asked twice," Dawson said.
"We are very sorry it happened," Dawson said. "We have been in touch with the administration there and expressed our concern. Anything else will be handled by our insurance carrier."
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