When Are Sports More Valuable Than Life Itself? Everyone Should Read This One!

Players want to please their coaches!

Coaches sometimes are task masters and drill sergeants. Especially when coaching and teaching the younger players.

Is it up to these coaches, who you have entrusted your precious children , to make sure under all circumstances, they all following healthy choices and being cautious under extreme conditions?

Is it up to the parents to tell their children, don't push yourself to extreme limits, always know your body and it's limitations, and behave wisely.

Should it be a concentrated effort of both the parents and coaches to keep a watch full eye on the conditions and tests put forth on their young  and sometimes fragile bodies and minds.

A Kentucky high school football player died, three days after collaspsing in football drills, during last August's preseason practices.

His body temperature was 107 degree's , which in most cases results in brain damage and death.

The player was also on a.d.d. medication that dehydrates the body even more so.

Who is responsible?

Parents and players sign wavers proclaiming risks are involved in participating in all sports.

Then again, the parents tell their children to listen to the coach because he know's best and will take care of you if you listen and work hard.

Why do coaches make player's work out in brutal heat? To build up endurance and strength? Running and weight lifting would accomplish this just as well, and not in the brutal heat of summer.

Evenings are cooler and if a player is too hot , and overly fatigued he will not learn or remember as well, as he could if he were more comfortable in his surroundings.

Jason Stinson, this particular high school coach is now being charged with reckless homicide in this last death on a practice field.

His life , most likely will be scarred or ruined permanently, and for what?

The player is dead, having his life cut short, with his family stricken with grief and wondering what would have prevented this.

Both attorneys argue about who is to blame, even going so far as saying he could have got a drink of water, and should have had personal responsibility.

But was he not following the coaches instructions , who he looked up to for wisdom and guidance?

Was the coach negligent by allowing the tough practice to go on in a 94 degree heat index?

Practices are suspended in 104 heat index weather as per state guidelines, but should common sense take over at some point, and say, hey, it's too hot to get anything productive done!

Come back this evening and we will work a little more, boys. Get some liquids and hit the showers, I'll see you guys later. Good job.

How can the coach really know if one particular player is having trouble?

From 1960 to present time 114 lives have been lost, pursuing athletic dreams on the field, in a heat related incident.

I think all coaches need to have a supervisor , working with them, especially in the younger school ranks, to make sure kids are not pushed past their limits at an early stage in the sports life.

Drill Sergeants are for the military, not for teenagers. Even the armed forces have had deaths due to overheating and dehydration in their own boot camps.

Sports, including football should be an enjoyable experience for all participating.

It's time to drop hell week from the vocabulary and pay more attention to learn about football safely week.

No one wants to participate in hellish drills that break the body and stop the mind from functioning as it should.

I blame the coach for inadequate supervision, and failing to know more about the players, what special needs , this one boy might have had, and a general disregard for safety and the well being of his player.

I feel for the family who must lash out and get attorneys involved with the system they trusted.

All this and many cases like this could be avoided with common sense.

If you feel nauseous, get a headache, or stop sweating, get out of the sun. Drink water,take a cool shower, and do not listen to anyone that may question your toughness or stamina, because they are uncaring fools, mindless to the needs of your own particular body's make up and design.

Coaches, fuel the mind with questions and answers,treat these young bodies with respect, and maybe something great will come of it.

Push, but don t break our future athletes before they have a chance in life!

Thomas[ NFL Mikee ]Moreland