October 29, 2010 Archive | Safety Concerns | Ask the Expert

Posted on October 29, 2010: Safety Concerns

A Responsible Sports Fan suggested the following Scenario Question:

I have two grandsons playing youth football. One has played for 5 years and the other for 4. The youngest is not a big boy but very fast and loves football. This past Saturday at the end of warm ups, the Coach had the boys get in line sort of like a tug of war line with no rope, one side had a ball. They went head to head with each other one on one. Two boys got stung pretty good, hitting helmet to helmet and one hurt his neck. Now keep in mind, these are not professional Coaches, they are all volunteers, most of them only played when they were younger as their only experience. I had a real issue with it but I did not pull my grandson.

Is this something they should be doing at this age with Coaches that have no professional experience? In the one group that hit helmet to helmet, one boy fell to the ground and one Coach yelled for him to get up. They raised his hands and he was dizzy, probably had a concussion. They are not experienced but this is to much for this age level, 7 & 8 year olds, don't you think?

Dear Sabrina,

I read your question with great concern. In all cases, Responsible Coaches and Responsible Sports Parents (and in this case Responsible Sports Grandparents!) need to put players’ safety first. If you are concerned about the athletes’ safety during a specific drill, you should speak directly to the coaches right away. If you are uncomfortable doing this personally, then you might find another parent who is closer to the coaches, and ask him/her to voice your concerns.

Even if it’s hard for them to hear, the coaches should be open to hearing about these sorts of safety concerns from parents and grandparents. As you wrote, they are likely just running drills they have experienced themselves in the past, but that does not always mean these drills are safe.

If things do not change, or if you continue to be concerned about the situation, let the coaches know you’re going to voice your concerns to the league’s board or administration. In the meantime, you need to think hard about whether or not you feel comfortable having your grandsons continue to participate, as their personal safety must come first.

For more, please visit the Responsible Conversation: Parent & Coach section.

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