Injured Partner
 

Girl's Sophomore DH this afternoon. Tournament setting.

The first game isn't very intense, a blowout in fact. 25 minutes in between games. While waiting to go back onto the court, my partner tells me he thinks he's hurt his knee. Not just hurt, blew out his knee.

I asked him if he wanted to go see the trainer, he said no. I asked him if I should try and find a replacement, he said no. He said he would make it.

The second game happened to be the tournament championship game. A much more intense game. It was no secret that he was hurt. He could barely walk, let alone keep up with the two teams.

At what point would you step in and say something? He's a big boy and can make his own decisions, but at the same time, the teams deserve our best.

Thoughts?

I don't think there's much you could have done. If he was so adamant about continuing, then that's going to be what happens. Probably the only persons who could have "forced" him to sit would have been the assignor or the tournament director. Your "authority" was only to the extent of trying to convince him you could have handled the game by yourself, or somehow gotten a last minute replacement. You just have to do the best you can out on the court to "cover" for him.

I wonder what went through the mind of the tournament director then, because she watched a lot of our game.

I don't want to take away a game check from the guy, or force him out, but is there a point where you would step in?

And do what? Are you going to tell him to get off the court? If the tournament director is there, then you can't report him to anyone?

I'm just curious what you think you're going to do when you "step in"?

Id rather have an injured partner than go solo...

+1

No.

Just do the best you can.

And for future reference, as yourself what you would have done if you were the injured one. And try to remember that if/when you actually are the injured one.

Yes there is a point where I would step in, and that would be as soon as I realized he/she was hurt.

I would get together with my partner at the earliest possible time and ask them if they are OK. I would then tell them that I will do my best to get from baseline to baseline so they can go from T to T. If there are any long switches to be made - let me be the one to run. I would do everything in my power to keep that partner on the court with as little movement as necessary - because I would rather have his/her pair of eyes out there helping me than be some big-shot who tells them to get off the court because they are hurt and can't keep up. That is what would be best for the game.

You cannot take game check from an official. He was obviously working the game, he should/will get the game check that he was assigned. If not that is another problem and not your call.

All you can do is insist that the guy get help. If you cannot convince them, then nothing more you can do when the TD is watching and they are not doing anything about it.

Peace

+1

I once had a partner who really couldn't move at all, and I parked him at the division line for an entire scrimmage. It was 3-person, and the other guy and I switched between L and C for the scrimmage.

I'd hate to try to write a manual based on the coverages we came up with!

Having been on both sides of this situation, one has to remember when we officiate, we have ONE best friend. You do whatever you can to support him, even if it means running BL to BL.

You will appreciate it when you are on the low mobility side. I slipped on a wet floor and hyper-extended my leg. Boy did that hurt.

refprof

I don't know how you managed to find sarcasm or disrespect in my post. You must have been looking pretty hard...

DId your partner appear "concussed"? You could have had him sit down until a medical professional was able to determine if they were concussed or not!:D

You hit the nail on the head when you said "he is a big boy and can make his own decisions". Let him live or die with it, and you be the best doggone partner you can be. Remember you are the "3rd" team out there.