Football Dad -- "Late Hit"

[Bob M.]

Originally Posted by OverAndBack

Would we run the risk of being held liable if a kid got hurt while we were standing off to the side, doing nothing but being a witness, when we could have at least gotten kids (these being little kids - high schoolers I'm not so worried about) out of the way of potentially being hurt?

I'm just askin', because you know somebody would try to make the case that we're in charge and by bailing out, we were complicit in some way in a kid or kids getting hurt.

REPLY: Not really sure, but I would think that getting involved (pulling people apart, pushing people away, etc.) would put us in an even greater position of liability. I have a friend (lawyer) who is a renowned expert in the area of sports and the law. I'll ask.

[kdf5]

Originally Posted by OverAndBack

Would we run the risk of being held liable if a kid got hurt while we were standing off to the side, doing nothing but being a witness, when we could have at least gotten kids (these being little kids - high schoolers I'm not so worried about) out of the way of potentially being hurt?

I'm just askin', because you know somebody would try to make the case that we're in charge and by bailing out, we were complicit in some way in a kid or kids getting hurt.

Not as big a risk as you'd run having some parent, who's lying, saying that you punched them or you punched their kid or you caused an injury when you grabbed them, etc, etc, etc. I'd stay completely out of it.

[k Lo]

Where can I download it this video?

K

[waltjp]

Originally Posted by Bob M.

REPLY: Not really sure, but I would think that getting involved (pulling people apart, pushing people away, etc.) would put us in an even greater position of liability. I have a friend (lawyer) who is a renowned expert in the area of sports and the law. I'll ask.

I believe I know what your friend's advice will be.

Getting involved could make you liable. What happens when you're restraining someone who gets hit why he can’t defend himself? What if you pull someone away and you end up injuring that person?

Besides the fact that the officials may make a very inviting target for some knucklehead.

Let the field administrator handle it. Call the police. Protect yourself.

[waltjp]

Originally Posted by k Lo

Where can I download it this video?

K

It was on CNN.com, SI.com, probably youtube.com...

[OverAndBack]

I posted the YouTube link earlier in the thread.

[TXMike]

Some of us are "duty bound" by the nature of their real job to intervene in a felony in progress. For those of us, we would have to intervene to stop an assault on a child but we would have the limited immunity from liability that we have from our real job. For all others, let your conscience be your guide. Could you be sued? Yes. but nowadays just about anyone can be sued for just about anything. Would the suit be successful? If you acted as a reasonable person would act, chances are good the suit would not be successful.

[Taz]

I think that they should bann all parents from youth sports. If they want to see the game buy the video.

[Rich]

If a brawl of this size broke out, I'd be tempted to leave and let the police sort it out

[Bob M.]

REPLY: As for the question of what to do when a brawl breaks out (just "take numbers" or actively get involved in breaking it up), Alan Goldberger, legal consultant to NASO and a frequent contributor to REFEREE magazine in the area of sports and the law, responded to my e-mail asking his opinion regarding these two strategies. He says,

"As to your question, conventional wisdom isn't so wise. In fact, it is a crock.
Short answer: to 'take numbers' is a major copout. Liability risk is
100x greater while you stand around, "losing control of the game." My
feeling is that doing anything less than taking every action possible to
prevent or shorten a fight is indefensible. Key, in my mind, is good
mechanics, nailing taunting/baiting the first time, not turning your
back, and not leaving opponents unsupervised during dead ball periods.
Football, any sport. If you let them fight, it's the eyes of those
present, it's your fault, 99% of the time."

[waltjp]

Bob,

Alan's reply addresses ways to prevent this from happening but doesn't give any advice on what to do it things do get out of hand. I'm all for stepping in if I can handle the situation and trying to prevent things from spiraling out of control but what happens when the number of combatants outnumbers the officials? At some point we have to consider our own safety too.

Walt

[OverAndBack]

I'm beginning to think there's no easy answer.

Try to break it up and risk being complicit in an injury.

Stand aside and risk being hit with a sin of omission.

Maybe that's why we get the big bucks.

[Bob M.]

REPLY: waltjp...here's what Alan advises for your last question:

"If it really gets away and there are too many people, you still need to
focus on not letting it get worse. That's why you need to be very
pro-active if it even looks like a fight is 10 minutes away. At least
one guy in every fight usually doesn't want to be there, anyway. If
they have a chance to retreat, they often will, especially if you are
looming close by, giving the appearance that you are looking for a
victim of your own.

The longer it goes on and the more people involved, of course, the worse
it is for us. So you need to do something other than stand around.
Separate somebody. Push, pull, blow whistles -- act like more of an
escaped mental patient than they do. It's your field that they are
desecrating.

Ever see films where officials are standing around during one of these
things. Anything look worse? or more out of control?"

[Ed Hickland]

Originally Posted by OverAndBack

Would we run the risk of being held liable if a kid got hurt while we were standing off to the side, doing nothing but being a witness, when we could have at least gotten kids (these being little kids - high schoolers I'm not so worried about) out of the way of potentially being hurt?

I'm just askin', because you know somebody would try to make the case that we're in charge and by bailing out, we were complicit in some way in a kid or kids getting hurt.

We as officials are in charge of the game on the field. Game administration is charged with maintaining a safe and secure environment including protecting us officials. If that means having armed police surrounding the field, it is the job of game administration.

If a brawl breaks out with fans charging the field there could be the likelyhood of some misguided individual using the opportunity to "get those zebras that cost us the game."

Even a brawl among players, you can attempt to stop the fight but if you are in a position where you can get injured, you should remove yourself and let the coaches and game adminsitration handle it.

[bluezebra]

Originally Posted by OverAndBack

Would we run the risk of being held liable if a kid got hurt while we were standing off to the side, doing nothing but being a witness, when we could have at least gotten kids (these being little kids - high schoolers I'm not so worried about) out of the way of potentially being hurt?

I'm just askin', because you know somebody would try to make the case that we're in charge and by bailing out, we were complicit in some way in a kid or kids getting hurt.

Start grabbing players, and you'd be sued for child abuse.

Bob