What's your take on this?

[ref18]

This article appeared front page of my local newspaper today, I may have mentioned this issue last year. I'm looking for the opinions of others on this.

No sidelines for the coach

Gary Yokoyama, the Hamilton Spectator
The Hamilton Football Officials Association says coach Matt Zwolak can't be on the sidelines.



Gary Yokoyama, the Hamilton Spectator
Cardinal Newman football coach Matt Zwolak holds a half-time conference with coaching staff.

Bench boss in wheelchair plans fight over refs' ruling
By Tony Fitzgerald
The Hamilton Spectator
(Oct 8, 2005)
A Cardinal Newman football coach has been banned from the sidelines of Ivor Wynne Stadium because he is in a wheelchair.

Matt Zwolak, a quadriplegic, has been deemed a safety hazard by the referees association. He was forced to coach yesterday's game between Cardinal Newman Cardinals and Cathedral Gaels from the Ivor Wynne Stadium press box, rather than from the sidelines where he would normally coach. The press box is located two storeys above the field.

A lawyer for the Ontario Human Rights Commission said the coach has a right to be on the sideline, but the Hamilton Football Officials Association say their ruling is designed to protect the high school players.

They say the coach wouldn't be able to get out of the way of an oncoming player, and that a player could get fingers or feet trapped in Zwolak's chair.

"We're dealing with it strictly as a safety issue," said Scott Hinks, acting association president.

According to the association, coaching from the sidelines is only a problem at Ivor Wynne where there is a slim gap of about four metres between the sidelines and stadium wall.

They ruled Zwolak must stay against the wall, in a padded wheelchair, or leave the grounds.

Zwolak said the Hamilton Wentworth Catholic District School Board "is going to bat for me in this political issue."

The coach is known for his steely determination, and said he's prepared to go to the human rights commission to fight the decision.

Zwolak was a football star with the McMaster Marauders, where he was a hard-hitting linebacker.

A mountain biking accident in 1999 left him a quadriplegic. He spent a year in rehabilitation, struggled to get his life on track, and earned a teaching certificate from Brock University.

Francois Larsen, a lawyer with the Ontario Human Rights Commission, said a coach in a wheelchair has the right to be on the sidelines and treated as an able-bodied coach.

"The law states people can be accommodated to the point of undue hardship," Larsen said. "The debate would be: Are the limitations placed on him to do the job reasonable and made in good faith. You try to avoid the limitation and not make it impossible for people to do their job."

Zwolak's attempt at a level playing field failed when he wasn't able to get his wheelchair padded in time for yesterday's 28-16 game loss.

He is using a shop that specializes in prosthetics and equipment for wheelchairs.

"The padding issue is the first hurdle. The advice I've got is to get the padding looked after and satisfactory to everybody."

There could still be other issues such as mobility and location.

If the padding affects Zwolak's mobility or if he cannot see the play from his position away from sidelines, there could be a complaint.

The fight for turf is only one of the battles Zwolak has faced since being injured six years ago. The former Cardinal Newman athlete returned to his alma mater where he teaches physical education. He uses voice-recognition software on his computer and has the voice of a radio announcer.

"He's very articulate," said Antionette Krusto, a fellow teacher at Newman.

"He can't show kids how to do something, but he has this amazing way of explaining it."

Krusto said he and other staff deeply admire Zwolak's resolve.

"I never see him down," said Krusto. "I know he's in a lot of pain, but he doesn't let on. He only teaches a half-day because of it."

But Zwolak is not comfortable in the media spotlight.

"I'm not a guy who likes talking about myself or myself being exposed and my life opened up," Zwolak said.

"A lot of times it comes across as 'look at this great guy, he's doing this.' For me, I wouldn't be able to do this if it wasn't for my parents at home, who support me."

The Catholic league championship game will be played on Nov. 11, but, barring a number of upsets, it is unlikely the Cardinals will be there.

I'm not going to comment on this, but I'm just curious as to the experiences or thoughts the other guys that read this forum have.

[BktBallRef]

We discussed a similiar issue recently on the NFHS board. I don't really have a side in these types of arguments. I see both sides. But I do think they coaches who fight to get on the sidelines in these situations aren't fully considering the danger they put themselves and everyone around them in. It truly is a safety hazard.

[The Roamin' Umpire]

Bottom line is that this is just an awful situation any way you look at it.

My solution would be to see if the school could put up some sort of (padded) raised platform. That fixes the visibility issue, and it puts the coach out of harm's way.

[ChrisSportsFan]

Originally posted by The Roamin' Umpire
Bottom line is that this is just an awful situation any way you look at it.

My solution would be to see if the school could put up some sort of (padded) raised platform. That fixes the visibility issue, and it puts the coach out of harm's way.

I thought the same thing but they'd better disable the voice recognition mechanism when he's up there so it doesn't mistakenly recognize a command and drive him right off the platform. If that happened, it might be a distraction to the game.

[cowbyfan1]

[i]Bottom line is that this is just an awful situation any way you look at it.

My solution would be to see if the school could put up some sort of (padded) raised platform. That fixes the visibility issue, and it puts the coach out of harm's way.

I agree, tough situation. I feel tho that by having him up in the press box is not keeping him from doing his job. Many coaches call games from up there. I think that if they do have him up there that they should allow an assistant to be able to call time out in place of him due to the situation.

[Rich]

Personally, I let a coach in a wheelchair be anywhere he wants. To do otherwise (in the US) these days is just inviting all kinds of trouble from groups with initials (ADA, ACLU, etc., etc.).

Just my take on this.

--Rich

[mcrowder]

But Rich, if you let him on the field, and some kid comes crashing into him from the field, injuring himself, you have a lawsuit there too.

Let me ask this... would you allow an unoccupied similar apparatus on the sideline? Probably not, due to safety concerns from players crashing into it. Same, Same.

[ref18]

this was in today's paper

Not good enough 'They want me to be 10 yards back,' says Zwolak

Cathie Coward, the Hamilton Spectator
Cardinal Newman's senior football coach Matt Zwolak used duct tape to hold padding around his wheelchair in order to meet referees' demands.

By Tony Fitzgerald
The Hamilton Spectator(Oct 15, 2005)
A quadriplegic football coach was able to spend the last game of the season close to his players despite continuing to be deemed a safety hazard by officials.

The local referees association refused to officiate any football game Cardinal Newman's Matt Zwolak coached unless he met their demands that he pad the wheelchair and stay nine metres from the field of play.

Zwolak wasn't happy about the restrictions, but complied, using duct tape to hold the makeshift padding in place.

"The (goal) post cemented into the ground in the field of play is more of a safety hazard than me being one-yard off the sideline," Zwolak said.

"The difference is it's padded. I'm willing to do that but that's not good enough. They want me to be 10 yards back."

He says somebody should ask Hamilton Tiger-Cat coach Greg Marshall if he would be at a competitive disadvantage if he were forced to stand 10 yards back from the sideline.

"Ask the officials if the side judge was placed 10 yards off the field and then argue it's not a competitive situation," he said.

As the senior football game between the Cardinals and St. Jean de Brebeuf Braves progressed yesterday, Zwolak rolled up and down the sidelines, just as an able-bodied coach might pace up and down. The Cardinals are finished for the season after their 24-6 defeat to the Braves.

Kevin Mickleboro, the referee in-chief, and member of the Hamilton Football Officials Association (HFOA) executive, repeated the group's stance that it is a safety issue.

"Our No. 1 concern is the players' safety," Mickleboro said. "Any safety issue we can be satisfied with must go to the school board.

"They seem to think it's not a safety issue, but when we asked them to waive our liability, they refused."

Mickleboro said the only conclusion they can reach is the board agrees it is a safety issue but doesn't want to be the only one in a lawsuit.

The Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board is on record supporting the coach's bid to be on the sidelines with his team. It said the former McMaster Marauder linebacker has enough experience to be able to avoid any oncoming players.

One of the players in yesterday's game didn't think a coach in a wheelchair was as much of a threat to their safety as the track along the outside of the Brebeuf field. "The coach was all padded up, but that track over there is really dangerous," said Nick Poloniato, one of the Braves' offensive stars. "I'm more worried about that."

Zwolak, who was left a quadriplegic in a 1999 cycling accident, could still file a Human Rights complaint.

Francois Larsen, a lawyer with the Ontario Human Rights Commission, says he has a legitimate grievance.

Larsen said a coach in a wheelchair should be allowed on the sidelines just as an able-bodied coach.

Tom Vellesi, president of the HFOA, anticipates that Zwolak will file a human rights complaint next season.

The loss to the Braves yesterday eliminated the Cardinals from the Hamilton Wentworth Catholic Athletic Association playoffs. They have one game remaining in the schedule.

"I've stated my position," Zwolak said. "I'd just like to see it over and done with. The story should be about the kids and not a disabled coach on the sidelines. I wasn't able to think about football until six minutes before kickoff. That's unfortunate. I feel I wasn't able to give the kids their due. After today, I'm not going to say another word. We'll just let it play out."

[Gman34]

Which side of the courtroom would you want to be on when there is a crash on the sideline and the coach and a player is injured?

[ref18]

Originally posted by Gman34
Which side of the courtroom would you want to be on when there is a crash on the sideline and the coach and a player is injured?

That's why we've taken the stance with regards to how we've been acting.

There's a lot less at stake in a human-rights commission then there is for personal-injury law-suit.

[AndrewMcCarthy]

"After today, I'm not going to say another word. We'll just let it play out."

Well yeah- the season's over.

[ref18]

Originally posted by AndrewMcCarthy

Well yeah- the season's over.

Or so you'd think, this shows up in today's paper,

It's about money, says coach
Hamilton Spectator File Photo

Matt Zwolak says he's no crusader, just a football coach.
Liability, not safety, keeping him sidelined, says coach
By Tony Fitzgerald
The Hamilton Spectator
(Oct 17, 2005)

A physically challenged football coach says his being on the sidelines is not about safety but about money.

Matt Zwolak, a Cardinal Newman assistant coach, has been deemed a safety hazard by the Hamilton referees association.

The Hamilton Football Officials Association has told the coach he must have his wheelchair padded and be 10 yards from the sidelines.

Zwolak says protecting players' safety is not their paramount concern. Protecting themselves financially is.

"This is clear because (Kevin) Mickleboro, the referee-in-chief and executive member of the HFOA board has gone on record twice to say that if the school board would be willing to waive the officials' liability should the chair result in an injury, they would allow me to be on sidelines like all other coaches," Zwolak said. "The officials would be willing to ignore what they claim to be that paramount issue of kids' safety as long as they're not liable.

"Let's call a spade a spade. It's clear their position is less about safety and more about dollars and cents."

The coach cites other safety hazards on school fields such as benches cemented into the ground. They don't bother officials because they are on school property and if a player is injured by running into them, the school board would be liable.

"If the referees association is responsible for coverage that stipulates only able-bodied coaches are covered, that's their problem," Zwolak said. "It's not the board's and not mine."

Zwolak said some people think since he is not the head coach, he should be happy to abide by the officials' restrictions.

He can't.

He says it is difficult to smile for two hours when you have a deep and persistent feeling about being violated.

"It's difficult to sleep, to focus on your job or your family when you know for two hours on Friday you are going to be subjected to being treated like a second-class citizen," he said. "This is more than just an inconvenience to me. I don't have a flair for the dramatic and I'm not out to get anyone's sympathy. I don't need it and I don't want it," he said.

"Don't think I set out to be some sort of crusader for the rights of the physically challenged individuals. I set out to coach football."

The officials and Zwolak have been at loggerheads for two years regarding him being on the sidelines for football games.

The Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board supports the coach in his fight to be on the sidelines.

So do Francois Larsen, a lawyer for the Human Rights Commission and Bill Adair, executive director for the Canadian Paraplegic Association of Ontario.

Zwolak, who was a linebacker with the McMaster Marauders, was left a quadriplegic after a cycling accident in 1999. After the accident he attended teachers' college and got a job as a physical education teacher at Cardinal Newman Catholic High School.

[cougar729]

Well, it is about money, money that most officials don't have to pay for personal injury lawsuits.

Our 70 dollar game check isn't going to satisfy some mother who's son has broken his leg and cant play again.

This coach seems more interested in being in the paper talking about being violated by officials, than the safety of his team and his opponents.

This is a no-win situation for everyone. But if the coach would realize that coaching from the press-box is for the better of everyone, I and a lot of people could be more sympathetic to his cause.

Otherwise he is just a noisy guy in a wheel chair complaining of his misfortune.

[Grey Hare]

Personallly, the whole idea of the coach being anywhere near the sideline is a bad idea in my opinion. My brother is a quadradplegic and even the thought of having him 10 yds. off the sideline is not enough room.

Of course it is also about dollars and sense! Why do you think the school board won't waive the liability issue?

Coach from the press box. Do your job or let someone else. The only reason this coach is getting this kind of attention is because of his disability and the rest of society feels "gulity". Get over it. Think about what is best for the kids and move on.

GH

[whaddayouknow]

"Let's call a spade a spade. It's clear their position is less about safety and more about dollars and cents."

I'm not privy to any of the internal discussions, but I do not believe this is true.

"Coach, I am just the referee and do not know how agile you are with the wheelchair. I have not inspected it for sharp edges and padding. I do not know how well it rolls on grass. I cannot control who may or may not be assisting you, or hindering you, when you are attempting to remove the wheelchair from the area when playing action is near. If your school has sufficiently checked it out, and are willing to prove they have by taking responsibility, then we are good to go."

P.S. Does the use of African American slurs help them gain sympathy for their cause?