THE VAST MAJORITY of people coaching football are outstanding contributors to the development of young men.
There are times, however, as in all professions, that we goof and make poor judgement in certain situations. When it is a safety blunder – the result is usually a football-related injury that could have easily been prevented. Too often today’s injuries are followed by a lawsuit against the coach, assistant coach, athletic director and the board of education.
The following list of football law suits falls into what I call a “Football Hall of Shame.” Each incident you read about in this article was real and resulted in a lawsuit and a court decision against the coach and school. I served as a sport safety consultant in each of these cases.
These often tragic and shocking examples are offered to show what can go wrong when one forgets about sport safety. Coaches must remember they have a duty of care to lower the chance of injury.
My hope is that by reviewing examples of poor coaching judgement, we can decrease the chance of preventable injuries to players and lawsuits to coaches.
Case No. 1: After a head injury to his middle linebacker, an Illinois football coach appropriately told the player to see the athletic trainer. The athletic trainer told the young man to see his family doctor. The doctor examined the boy and said he should not play for the rest of the season.
The young man returned to his coach and said he was all right to play. He practiced the next day, collapsed on the field and is now brain damaged.
The coach and others were sued because the coach accepted the word of the young linebacker rather than requiring a “return-to-play” form and making follow-up phone calls to both the athletic trainer and doctor.
My Suggestion: When you send a player for a medical review, make sure you receive the results from the doctor, and preferably, in writing.
Case No. 2: A Pennsylvania school had practiced on an excellent football field. Unfortunately, the field was also used by the baseball team in the spring. A 6-inch metal-front pole of the baseball backstop was left standing only 4 yards off the back line of the end zone.
A wide receiver caught a pass just inside the end zone and proceeded to run into the metal pole headfirst. The young man received a catastrophic injury and the school was sued for creating a known hazard.
My Suggestion: Schools generally do not have the wherewithal to build separate facilities for each sport. Recognizing this, and that the backstop was indeed a hazard, they should have covered the hazard. In short, during the football season, the pole should have been padded. It is common sense. It’s the head football coach’s responsibility to check the field prior to any football-related event and make sure it’s clear of unsafe objects and materials.
Case No. 3: A New Jersey youth football player was issued a football helmet that was obtained from the trash can of a local high school. The high school, being aware of the potential litigation issues of donating helmets not good enough for their players, “made an unofficial deal” with the youth coach to “throw out” the helmets on a certain day.
The young man wearing this very old, uncertified helmet received a catastrophic injury.
My Suggestion: If a piece of protective equipment is not good enough for one player to use, it is never acceptable for another player.
Case No. 4: A northern Pennsylvania football coach organized an off-season conditioning program for his players that consisted of weight training, running and reaction drills. He ended each session with wrestling matches, designed to build physical toughness and add a little spice and fun into the drudgery of training.
During one of these session-ending wrestling matches, a lineman lifted a smaller backfield player and slammed him to the mat. He hit the tile floor because the mat had separated. The player received a major injury and sued the coach for his lack of knowledge about the sport of wrestling.
My Suggestion: If coaches are going to implement or supervise something other than what they know — they are placing themselves in legal jeopardy.
Case No. 5: A rainy day moved a college football team indoors during spring practice. The coach decided to run the same practice plan inside as he planned for the outdoor practice.
A freshman end, during a sideline-passing drill, attempted to catch up to an errant pass and ran into the unpadded wall. He became a paraplegic. The coach and school were sued. The case was settled out of court.
My Suggestion: If you are going to run passing drills inside, you must design them to avoid running into obstacles. Better still; avoid passing drills until you have the opportunity to go back outside.
Case No. 6: With a championship game was on the line, an all-league Washington, D.C., lineman was injured in the previous game with what is often called a “stinger.” The coach told him not to see a doctor.
He would “tape it up” and he would be fine for the championship game.
The boy did not practice all week. The coach taped his arm and shoulder and he then played in the game. On the first play, he attempted to make a tackle and tore major nerves in the shoulder. He lost the use of the arm.
My Suggestion: Clearly the coach placed winning the championship above the welfare of the player. This is an attitude that has no place in coaching.
Case No. 7: A well-meaning, budget-minded coach in Kentucky used heavy rubber bands for conditioning purposes. Instead of using the commercial-approved shoulder harnesses and rubber-band devices, he attached homemade rubber bands onto shoulder pads. One player held the end of the bands while the player wearing the shoulder pads attempted to run against resistance.
A rubber band broke and struck the eye of the player creating the resistance. He lost the eye in the injury.
My Suggestion: Avoid using homemade equipment. This matter demonstrates that even when a coach has the best of intentions, the coach must anticipate all possible negative results.
Case No. 8: An athlete suffered a serious head injury and the coach was sued for failing to properly fit his helmet. The helmet required the pumping of air into a bladder for a proper fit and protection.
When it was discovered that the coach had no knowledge that air installation was required, the parents sued.
My Suggestion: Coaches must know how to fit and check helmets as well as all other equipment. It you are using an air-system helmet; you must know the inflating procedures and continually remind your players to check their helmet.
Case No. 9: A Junior college coach in Wisconsin, upset that his freshman quarterback was transferring to another college, placed him on the fourth-string team. During a full defensive scrimmage, this transferring QB faced the first-string defensive line practicing their pass rush.
Each scrimmage down required the QB to drop back and pass. He seldom was able to release the ball before being sacked. The QB eventually received a career ending injury.
My Suggestion: When coaches demonstrate such a clear disregard and immature anger, for the welfare of their players — a lawsuit is sure to follow and it should. This coach created a situation that lead to an injury. It was a foreseeable one.