Legal Issues In Coaches Essay

The case study selected for week three centers on a liability and assumption of risk case study. In this case study, Brent Thomas and George Banks are facing liability charges after Ricky Watts sustained a serious injury during hockey practice (Essex, 2016). In this situation, Thomas is the school principal, and Banks is the hockey coach as well as the gym teacher (Essex, 2016). Ricky obtained injuries after improperly blocking the puck (Essex, 2016). This case study was selected because it highlights a situation that will likely be faced by all future school leaders. Sports are popular among students, and there is inherent risk in each sporting event. A school is open to liability if they do not ensure that proper protocols are met.

Many families encounter the worst of sports related injuries, such as being paralyzed or even death upon playing. The NCHSAA should be more cautious upon high school athletics and make it a safer environment towards all contenders within the divisions. It is not the NCHSAA fault upon injuries, but they can make the biggest improvement upon sports to try and prevent many risky injuries. Kids will go through the pain of an injury, not to only sit and get ready to play again, but to learn an important lesson.

Being the adult in charge, coaches should be the ones teaching the athletes to responsibly take care of their bodies. Many coaches allow their athletes to play even if they are aware of the player’s injury. “According to the survey of 778 athletes, 69 percent of those with concussions reported playing with symptoms…” (Doyle). The survey was taken to see how athletes react to an injury and the result proved that to many athletes ignore their symptoms and participate in their sport anyways. A lot of athletes play with concussion symptoms and the person that allows them to play, is the coach. Players are told to try to win “at all cost” and even if they are injured, they will try everything to get back to playing but the coaches need to be teaching

Collegiate athletics is growing each day and the athletes are becoming faster, stronger, and quicker each day. As the competition on the field improves, the risk of injury also becomes more of a possibility. While strength and conditioning coaches have created athletes who are able to withstand more physical play and can rehab quicker from injury, they have also created monsters on the playing field and court. As collegiate athletics grows into a multibillion dollar industry, the players expect to have more benefits available to them, including workers’ compensation. We have seen a variety of situations arise recently were players are looking to secure their own safety when playing such physical games.

Most states have three action steps that must be used in order to provide maximum safety for the athletes that are playing the games. The first step is to “educate coaches, parents, and athletes.” By educating coaches, parents, and athletes about the possibility of getting a concussion while playing a sport, they will all know what to look for if there is ever a hard hit to the

They could be life threating if not reported and attended to. If an athlete gets injured they most likely will not tell their coach or trainer for the fear that they will be taken out of the game. If the athlete does come out and say that they are in pain and something does not seem right and the coach or trainer does nothing about it that is negligence and they could be fired and sued if the athlete gets hurt even more. One of my biggest fears about being an athlete is getting injured and not being able to return to play the sport’s that I love because someone did not take the injury

Coaches make an impact on their players. The players could look up to them or be their role model. They also trust their coach’s judgement. This could mean that they trust their play calling. If the player thinks they have a concussion, but their coach thinks they don’t, so they might keep playing; For example, according to Dr. Munro Cullum, who is a professor of psychiatry, neurology and neurotherapeutics. A coach might think that his quarterback has a concussion, but he needs to keep playing so we can win the game (Foster). Not only do they might be biased about their own players having concussions, they also might be teaching them to lead with their head. Another way a coach could affect a play is that coaches might teach their players that they are at war and that they need to inflict pain on others (MaGrath). This shows that they might be teaching them to lead with their head. According to Dr. Munro Cullum, some players will think they will lose their spot if they are concussed, so they don’t tell their

“The only thought in my mind was getting back in the game” said Boothby. Despite her injury she kept playing. “I thought I had to be tough. I thought I had to go back in because we were losing and I needed to support my team.” That night she began to feel nauseous, and losing her memory. She had sustained a serious concussion that left its mark on her brain. It took 10 months of physical therapy just to stand without falling. Because of her injury her school work was slacking off and was diagnosed with ADHD. “My GPA dropped so much that I’m really anxious about college,” she said. A study was surveyed in which 3,000 athletes, coaches and parents found that 42% of kids downplay or hide injuries so they could keep playing. 53% of coaches said that they feel pressure to put the injured players in the game. Almost 1/3 of kids who surveyed said it’s normal to play rough in a game to send a message to the opposing

In the world of football, big hits are something that are looked at in a positive light. They are seen as a way of asserting dominance over other players and it is celebrated by teammates. Big hits are a very crucial, almost necessary, part of the game that millions of people gather to watch every Sunday. However, in the past decade, the NFL and other organization have realized that concussions can lead to very serious problems later in life. One of these problems is known as Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). It is a degenerative brain disease, much like Alzheimer’s, that mainly effects individuals in high contact sports such as boxing or football. Over time, this connection between concussions and CTE has become more common knowledge and more people have started asking the question “do the risks of children playing football outweigh the benefits?”. The answer to this question is yes, football is entirely too violent for children to be playing. According to “Big Hits, Broken Dreams”, one in ten football players gets a concussion, and 35% of players have more than one. The video also states that only 50% of high schools in the United States have a certified athletic trainer on the field (CNN, 2012). If concussions are really a concern for the schools, then why are there not more athletic trainers on staff at these schools to deal with sports injuries? This also forces the public to question these schools even more because if they are willing to cut costs and not hire a

The ambiguities and the variations in state concussion laws demonstrate a need for a more comprehensive and uniform system to protect student athletes. State laws are often ambiguous as to their scope in whether they apply to only those under the age or eighteen, or in their application to private schools and recreational youth activities. Although most states require an educational component, states vary drastically in who is required to have educational training, who is responsible to for developing it, and who is responsible for ensuring compliance with state requirements. Moreover, the decision on who is responsible for ensuring possible concuss athletes are removed varies by state, with many failing to even identify a person or persona.

In the case of Mike Leach coach of Texas Tech University, he believes that one of his players faked a concussion, as a result of limited playing time he received on the field. After getting treated for the concussion, it was standard protocol that players with a concussion wear street clothes and sunglasses to help deal with headaches and light sensitivity. Agitated by what he feels is an attempt to undermine the coaches authority, Mike instructed the athletic trainer to have Adam James locked into a dark training shed every day while he was sitting out practice. Once word got out to reporters that this kind of treatment was present and following the parents of Adam James complaint being filed, the university president and athletic director met with coach Leach. They wanted Mike Leach

A Coach is somebody who develops, improves or promotes changes in a persons ability and understanding. Coaches work with another person or a group of people and develops them as people using sport to progress them in their development. All coaches have certain responsibilities towards performers, their sport, their profession and themselves. Below I have identified what a coach may be required to fulfil.

The main idea of the law of negligence is to ensure that people exercise reasonable care when they act by measuring the potential harm that may foreseeably cause harm to other people. Negligence is the principal trigger for liability to ascend in matters that deal with the loss of property of personal injury. Therefore, a person cannot be liable for something unless they have been found negligent or have contributed to the loss of property or injury to the plaintiff (Stuhmcke, 2005). There is more to

The coach is responsible for managing safety of training sessions and game day settings. Before training session and games, coaches must ensure that players are wearing proper equipment such as shin guards; soccer clothing designed for the climate, and proper fitting shoes and frequent water breaks to avoid injuries. In addition, goals must always be secure and stable prior any activities. And the field should not have glass or any sharp objects that could lead to injuries. The coach is also responsible to create a safe environment that encourages activities that minimizes injuries. Thus, coaches should have access to first aid kit and emergency information in case of an injury. It is important for a coach to use age appropriate guidelines

Required classes to ensure that coaches know what to do are: Selected principles of biology, anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, psychology, and sociology related to coaching; human growth and development; safety; first aid and care of injuries; and training and conditioning of athletes. All coaches must be current in first aid prior to the first day of practice for the assigned sport. According to the Commissioner of Education in New York State University as stated in an interview through e-mail, “First-aid can be completed through various options like American Red Cross responding to emergencies; a state education department-approved course on health sciences applied to coaching; a state education department-approved college or university on athletics training or sport medicine; a state education department-approved in-service first aid course; a state education department-approved college first aid course; or equivalent experience attending clinics, workshops, courses or specific programs approved by the Commissioner of Education in that coach’s state.” Knowing the issues that come with safety and prevention is the most important. Every coach needs to take into consideration the fact that anything can happen, and with a proper training and courses taken can help in quick reaction to any incident occurring. Knowing the health related aspects of athletics is something every coach has to have.