Injured Player

waltjp · #1 (**permalink**) Wed Sep 28, 2005, 07:16am

During Monday's JV game I had a player tackled as he approached the goal line. The ball came loose and rolled into the end zone where 2 B players attempted to recover before it rolled over the end line. I turned to signal TB and noticed that the ball carrier was down with an obvious broken leg.

We sent both teams to their benches, called for the trainers and an ambulance. It took about 20 minutes for the ambulance to show up. During this time the trainers from both teams and a couple of coaches gathered around the injured player. They talked to the player and tried to comfort him and keep him calm.

What bothered me about this incident was that nobody bothered to bring out a blanket for him. It was a cooler evening with some light rain falling and here's this kid just lying on the ground, writhing in pain, possibly going into shock and nobody has the brains to get him a blanket.

At what point do you make this suggestion to the trainers or coaches? Or do you say nothing at all?

TXMike · #2 (**permalink**) Wed Sep 28, 2005, 07:52am

That is First Aid 101 but in the obvious concern over the fracture, the attendees may get tunnel vision and forget about that. I see nothing wrong with a comment to one of the attending adults (but one who is observing and not in "hands-on" situation) such as, "Do you think he needs to be covered to prevent shock?" That might be enough to make their brains kick in and take action.

There are gonna be some (probably some of those who would not have let Bobby Martin play) who will say that even this opens you up to a lawsuit but once again I say, you have to use common sense and and the "reasonable man" standard.

irefky · #3 (**permalink**) Wed Sep 28, 2005, 08:29am

I always stay away from an injury due to litigation concerns but I see nothing wrong in making a suggestion to a professional or the trainer on the scene. They can take it from there if they elect to use my opinion.

I also recommend that officials not even snap a players chin strap or shoulder pads! The next play, they could get injured, shoulder or something, I am sure someone would have a video. It sounds cruel, but that is the world we live in today.

I have seen players laying, especially the pee wee levels and coaches just tell them to get up. I am sure some of it is a child getting hurt for the first time and maybe scared but I feel all injuries should be looked at with concern.

Suudy · #4 (**permalink**) Wed Sep 28, 2005, 09:17am

Quote:

Originally posted by irefky
I also recommend that officials not even snap a players chin strap or shoulder pads! The next play, they could get injured, shoulder or something, I am sure someone would have a video. It sounds cruel, but that is the world we live in today.

Our association has been quite clear on this one. If a chin strap is loose, or a pad is coming out, etc, we tell them to get a teammate to help. If they can't get it fixed in a reasonable amount of time, we send them off the field. For the exact reasons you mentioned, we should keep our hands off.

waltjp · #5 (**permalink**) Wed Sep 28, 2005, 09:59am

Quote:

Originally posted by irefky
I have seen players laying, especially the pee wee levels and coaches just tell them to get up. I am sure some of it is a child getting hurt for the first time and maybe scared but I feel all injuries should be looked at with concern.

Worse than that, I've seen coaches grab a player and lift him up.

fonzzy07 · #6 (**permalink**) Fri Dec 01, 2006, 01:40pm

I'll agree sometimes coaches trainers ect dont use common sense. I am currently a senior. Needless to say this was my senior year and about halfway through the season i damaged the nerves in my back. Well I told the medical guys that I was playing and got back after one week off. Two games after my return I go and make a tackle on the sideline. Well a teamate came in over me and rolled my back wrong cutting the nerves even more. For you medical Persons it was the siatic nerve the one that controlls ur legs. Well I lost all motion in my legs . So I am sitting there. My teamates are yelling for the trainer, finnaly the ref goes over and apparently the team doctor said give him a sec his nerve will kick in. Well it didnt so the trainer finnaly carted me off. Unfortunatly that eneded my highschool career as well it took about 4 hours of iv and stuff in the ER to cut the swelling around the nerve to let it function a little and its time for surgery in the a few weeks to get it finnaly fixed. Can you guys do anything about that. I mean fortunatly for me I could not feel anything so I was not in Pain but it just aint right leaving someone on the field that long. What would you do.

Bob M. · #7 (**permalink**) Fri Dec 01, 2006, 02:37pm

REPLY: fonzzy07...I hope you get well very soon. Unfortunately--and especially when there are trained professionals on the scene--unless an official is trained as an EMT or similar trauma relief, we really can't do much other than keep everyone except the professionals away and let them do what they need to. Especially when there's a lack of feeling/motion in the extremeties, most medical professionals will not be in a hurry to move you for fear of further damage. And even when they do move you, it will usually be very carefully onto a backboard and then into an ambulance.