Quote:
Originally posted by TexBlue
I was calling a game in the PONY Nationals 2 years ago. The reading on the dirt in the infield where the pitcher stood was 122. ...I called the coach out and told him about it. He said she was OK, she was just upset because she threw up twice in the dugout. ?????? I turned around and called for the EMS immediately and got the rest of the girls off the field. The catcher couldn't walk to the dugout, she had to be carried by me and an assistant coach in the "chair" position. We got her in there and the paramedics showed up to take care of her. I pretty much lost my professionalism when I saw the girl was being attended to. I called my partner over to me and called the coach over, out of earshot of everyone. I ripped him apart for letting a girl play in this heat, after seeing her exhibit symptoms of heat exhaustion. He told me she was his only catcher and he had to play her. It was no big deal, she was tough. I looked at the girl who was unconcious and being administered to by the EMS. I asked him for his substitution for the catcher. He told me if there was anything he could do about it, she was staying in the game. I ejected him. Then called the asst coach and asked for a sub. The catcher spent 4 days in the hospital with heat stroke. Not exhaustion, stroke....
|
What age level was this? This guy has no business coaching - youth or adults. A heat stroke means organs have begun shutting down, doesn't it? The signs were all there (throwing up, etc.) Very dangerous. Since this was a national, I can only hope this guy was from the snow belt and was just ignorant. Although it strikes even here in MN - the Vikings lost a player in training camp - held in MN - to heat stroke a couple of years ago. The other option is he is willing to sacrifice his players' health, even life, for a win.