Detroit Free Press article of interest...

[LDUB]

I don't like it. I don't like the idea of someone other than the head coach being allowed to stand. Dealing with timeout requests from coaches are hard enough; having an assistant standing with the head coach requesting timeouts while sitting would only make it harder.

If this lady wants someone else to stand then that is fine with me, but the other guy who stands gets all the other duties of the head coach as well including requesting timeouts, verifying that his players are properly equipped, being responsible for bench personal, and very importantly dealing with the officials.... If the school wants to hire the lady as the head coach and list her as the head coach on the team roster they can do that as being the head coach does not require the use of the coaching box.

[GoodwillRef]

Originally Posted by LDUB

I don't like it. I don't like the idea of someone other than the head coach being allowed to stand. Dealing with timeout requests from coaches are hard enough; having an assistant standing with the head coach requesting timeouts while sitting would only make it harder.

If this lady wants someone else to stand then that is fine with me, but the other guy who stands gets all the other duties of the head coach as well including requesting timeouts, verifying that his players are properly equipped, being responsible for bench personal, and very importantly dealing with the officials.... If the school wants to hire the lady as the head coach and list her as the head coach on the team roster they can do that as being the head coach does not require the use of the coaching box.

Wow! Do you have a heart? This is such a minor issue and you go on a rant like someone shot your dog.

[26 Year Gap]

I have had the occasion to officiate for a JV coach in a wheelchair on numerous occasions. He also has coach AAU. Had problems with the AC in one game on the other team. Told that he would need to stay seated, he started whining about back problems. I glanced over to the other bench, and he shut up. He later got a T, though.

Obviously the concern of the officials may have been "What about the other team's AC?" To that I would probably address that in the pre-game and get the opponents on the same page. "The AC will stand in order to request timeouts. Do you have an issue with that?" All other coaching duties can remain with the HC in the wheelchair. That is what 2-3 is for. Nowhere in the rules is there something that deals with a HC confined to a wheelchair. Too bad it had to come to a ruling issued by the state when common sense could have prevailed.

[mick]

Originally Posted by 26 Year Gap

Nowhere in the rules is there something that deals with a HC confined to a wheelchair. Too bad it had to come to a ruling issued by the state when common sense could have prevailed.

I think the ruling is good.
The ruling takes the guess out of the equation for the next games' official(s).

[26 Year Gap]

Originally Posted by mick

I think the ruling is good.
The ruling takes the guess out of the equation for the next games' official(s).

In VT, there are some waivers granted by the state principals association for things such as mouthguards & concussion headbands. Your point is well taken.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by LDUB

.... If the school wants to hire the lady as the head coach and list her as the head coach on the team roster they can do that as being the head coach does not require the use of the coaching box.

She was the HC before becoming paralyzed. She retained her job after the surgical accident as she rightfully should have been allowed to do. Being a HC doesn't require the use of legs. The Michigan High School Athletic Association has provided the necessary guidance to handle the situation.

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

I agree with everything that Nevada said. There is no reason for the MichiganHSAA to make the stupid ruling that it did in otherwords logic was not used when finding a solution or a ruling.

What's so stupid about the ruling? The AC gets to stand to coach the kids. He gets no other HC privileges.

I just had a game in which the HC was in the wheelchair. The coaches in her conference and district have gotten used to it, and they were of no opposition when she requested that her AC would stand and request the timeout when they wanted to request one. We three officials had no problem with it either. Of course, I had no problems with making whatever accomodations because I am a person covered under the ADA as well, and I don't think my partners wanted to mess around on that topic (because they know very well that lecturing about the rights and privileges covered under the ADA is part of my day job!).

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

She was the HC before becoming paralyzed. She retained her job after the surgical accident as she rightfully should have been allowed to do. Being a HC doesn't require the use of legs. The Michigan High School Athletic Association has provided the necessary guidance to handle the situation.



What's so stupid about the ruling? The AC gets to stand to coach the kids. He gets no other HC privileges.

Read my post completely and some of the others who have posted who, like me, have officiated games where one of the teams was coached by a HC in a wheel chair. The HC in the wheel chair was able to do his job without any special considerations. I am going to catch a hell of a lot a heat for my next comment and that is this: Of all of the HC's in wheel chairs, it was only HC of the female persuasion that complained she couldn't do her job and needed an AC to stand. I am not condoning the unprofessional conduct of the officials in her game, but if other HC's in wheel chairs can do their job without special considerations, so can she.

MTD, Sr.

[mick]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

Read my post completely and some of the others who have posted who, like me, have officiated games where one of the teams was coached by a HC in a wheel chair. The HC in the wheel chair was able to do his job without any special considerations. I am going to catch a hell of a lot a heat for my next comment and that is this: Of all of the HC's in wheel chairs, it was only HC of the female persuasion that complained she couldn't do her job and needed an AC to stand. I am not condoning the unprofessional conduct of the officials in her game, but if other HC's in wheel chairs can do their job without special considerations, so can she.

MTD, Sr.

Mark, Sr.,
The Lady coach complained, or asked the State association ?
The Men coaches asked the State association and were turned down ?
Did the State association act on it's own or per request ?
Tell me the rest of the story, I don't know it.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

... Of all of the HC's in wheel chairs, it was only HC of the female persuasion that complained she couldn't do her job and needed an AC to stand...

After re-reading the article I don't see where she complained she couldn't do her job. The official asked her a question and she answered it. The official could just have easily had said "You have a choice, if you want the AC to stand then he is the HC, if you want to be recognized as the HC, then the AC cannot stand." Now maybe you are privy to some inside information, but based on this article I see nowhere that she did something wrong or whiny, other than confronting the officials after the game.

BTW, I once had a male HC with a broken leg who asked if his AC could stand to call for T-O's. We had no problem with it and neither did the opposing coach. And no one thought he was whiny.

[mick]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

BTW, I once had a male HC with a broken leg who asked if his AC could stand to call for T-O's. We had no problem with it and neither did the opposing coach. And no one thought he was whiny.

And, I once had a coach with laryngitis who asked if his assistant could act as head coach. No problem.
...Yeah, I had to politely remind of that a coupla times.

[LDUB]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

What's so stupid about the ruling? The AC gets to stand to coach the kids. He gets no other HC privileges.

Assistants do not get to stand. The head coach can use the box if he wishes. If this lady who can't walk wants someone else to stand then that person must be the official head coach. The lady can still be listed as the head coach on the roster and she can still make all the decisions and stuff.

This is all caused by some wheelchair using lady wanting to complain. She can be in the box in her wheelchair. She can sit on the bench and never use the box. Both of those are fine options for her. If she wants someone else to use the box then that guy is the head coach.

[mick]

Originally Posted by LDUB

Assistants do not get to stand. The head coach can use the box if he wishes. If this lady who can't walk wants someone else to stand then that person must be the official head coach. The lady can still be listed as the head coach on the roster and she can still make all the decisions and stuff.

This is all caused by some wheelchair using lady wanting to complain. She can be in the box in her wheelchair. She can sit on the bench and never use the box. Both of those are fine options for her. If she wants someone else to use the box then that guy is the head coach.

Apparently not in Michigan.
Did you not read the article?