How bad does it have to be?

[bigdogrunnin]

I had this situation about 3 weeks ago. A1 runs into the back of B1 and falls to the floor hitting her head. We immediately stop play. Trainer and coach come onto floor. Girl's eyes are literally in the back of her head and she has no clue who she is or where she is.

I talk with my co-official and we say that there is no way she is playing again in that game. I also tell the trainer that unless you have a signed doctor's release I wouldn't let her play again today. She agrees.

WELL . . . daddy comes running onto the floor, JERKS her up off the floor, looks at us and says, "she's OK, let her walk it off and she can play in a few minutes."

Of course, I give the WTF are you thinking look . . . and quietly let him know that we will not allow her to play again until she has been seen and released by a certified medical professional. I also tell him that it is a safety concern, and we don't want to jeopardize her safety (or take on that liability). Daddy tried to argue and I just let him know that we would not be changing our minds.

After half-time, daddy comes up and apologizes, tells us thank you for watching out for his daughter.

I agree with all the other posters . . . err on the side of safety. Coaches, parents, fans, etc. may not like it, but sometimes it takes a common sense voice of reason to take a stand and make the right decision. If you kept her out the rest of the game, I would say you made the right decision. JMO