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Mon Oct 04, 2004, 10:03pm
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We have a coach in a motorized wheelchair who wants to stand on the sidelines with his team. We do not think this is safe for the players officials and the person in the wheelchair for him to be on the sidelines. We have asked him to be at least 15 yards back, he is citing rights of the disabled that he should be allowed on the sidelines like every other coach.
Does anyone know of other wheelchair coaches and if they were allowed on the sidelines to coach. Does anybody think it is not a safety hazard for him to be right on the sideline with the other coaches? There is no way he could get out of the way of other player. Waiting to hear some comments. Thanks
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Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups 
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Tue Oct 05, 2004, 01:24am
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Don't go there!
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Bottom line, don't set yourself up for a lawsuit against any of the disabled Americans groups unless you enjoy the inside of a courtroom. Most likely with any lawsuit against these groups you would lose. While you may think this is absurd to wait unil an injury occurs before any corrective action can be taken, that is the world we live in today.
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"Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber
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Tue Oct 05, 2004, 07:44am
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I asked the Illinois High School Association about this as well and was instructed that we treat him like any other coach. They can not only be on the sidelines but they can also be in the coach's box.
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Mike Sears
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Tue Oct 05, 2004, 12:00pm
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I don't disagree that we should allow him on the sideline, but (and I'm sorry if I seem like a jerk about this) we could also wind up in a court room with a player who broke his neck on the wheelchair, or with the coach in the wheelchair who got run over by an official or a player. The first thing the plantiff's lawyer will say is "why didn't you remove him from the sideline?"
I know that really did not add anything to the discussion, more me "blowing off steam" about trial lawyers.
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If the play is designed to fool someone, make sure you aren't the fool.
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Tue Oct 05, 2004, 12:45pm
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I'm not letting a wheel chair in the coaches box. He can be in the team box, that's fine. I probably would allow crutches though, as long as the coach can move fast enough.
If they want to cover the entire wheelchair in 1/2 inch closed-cell padding, then that's a different story  j/k
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Tue Oct 05, 2004, 12:52pm
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Tue Oct 05, 2004, 12:57pm
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Quote:
__________________
If the play is designed to fool someone, make sure you aren't the fool.
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Tue Oct 05, 2004, 01:08pm
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I had a coach this past weekend who was physically hanicapped so that he needed a cane to walk. He told me it was a birth defect. He was hanicapped to the point where his speech was a little tough to understand, and he couldn't move well (he had players come beyond the hash at timeouts). I had no issue with him on the sidelines, and to tell you the truth, i welcomed it. For him, to be a head coach of a varsity team, deal with his disability, and have the fire that he had to coach his guys (not to mention really having a grasp of the rules, not many do), there was no way i would tell him any different then his non-disabled counterparts. If i did so, i would open myself up for liability. I agree, lets not go there.
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Tue Oct 05, 2004, 01:38pm
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First off I don't think we as officials have the right to make this requirement to start with (it would lay with the governing body (local, state, etc. Whoever has the final say in your area). Second I would agree that it is most probably a violation of Feaderal ADA.
We had a head coach in a motorized chair for several years. Was never a problem. People used to love seeing him motor out to the To conferences out in the middle of the field.
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Jim Schroeder Read Rule 2, Read Rule 2, Read Rule 2!
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Tue Oct 05, 2004, 07:43pm
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We have no problem with this individual coaching, it's just the manner in which he does it, our association sees the chair as a dangerous object to be in the vicinity of the football field. The last thing we want is for the coach, a player or an official to be hurt because of a collision with this chair. That is why the 15 yard stipulation is in place. To keep all participants in the game safe.
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Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups
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Tue Oct 05, 2004, 07:44pm
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If I remember correctly, Bob Waters of Western Carolina University finished his coaching career in a wheelchair. This was back in the 1980s. He played pro football for the 49ers back in the early 60s. He contracted Lou Gehrig's Disease and passed away in 1989.
You better think long and hard about this one as there have been several law suits in the baseball arena that have gone for the disabled. One was for a high school coach in California that wanted to work the 1st and 3rd base lines. He won!
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"I love it when they boo!"
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Tue Oct 05, 2004, 08:14pm
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I would not even consider asking him to do anything different!
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they do not have to deal with the Americans with Disabilities Act (A.D.A.). However, in the land of the free and the home of the brave, we do have an A.D.A. and the best advice has already been given, DON'T GO THERE!!!
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"Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber
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Wed Oct 06, 2004, 08:32am
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Re: I would not even consider asking him to do anything different!
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