Wheelchair coach.....
 

NF In my season opening game last Friday, I was faced with an unusual situation. The Defensive co-ordinator of the home team was in a motorized wheelchair on the sideline. When his team had the ball he was well away from the action, but when they were on defense he was right there on the sideline in the coaches box. He never got in the way, but as the referee, I was concerned about his and the player's safety.
I could not find any rules coverage for this.
What would you have done.

Thanks.

Fortunately or unfortunately this has been allowed by the NF across the board in just about all their sports. After that it is not your responsibility to not allow the coach on the sideline. Do I think it is ultimately safe? No I do not. But in this age of lawsuits I would let the coach stay without even a comment and hope that no one gets hurt. This is one rule I would follow to the letter and if someone gets hurt maybe the rule could be changed or somehow modified.

Peace

We had a similar thing a few years ago. We had a wheelchair ball-boy. He'd bring the balls to our U on the field. We asked him (and the coach) to remain well behind the team box and to remain especially vigilant. Fortunately nobody got hurt.

But like JRutledge said, there was no way we were going to deny this. We gently reminded the coach that since there was no padding on the chair, it was dangerous. I don't know what would have happened if a player had gotten hurt if he had hit the chair. In this lawsuit happy society, we can't win--sued under the ADA or sued for putting the players in danger.

Next thing we'll see is for players to be allowed in wheelchairs.

There may be situations during a game that concern us personally - a coach in a wheel chair, an undersized player, a player who is mentally slow, etc. However, it is important that we understand that we are there to officiate the game and not to try and arbitrate everything.

I do not know that I would even comment about it. Why go there?

There was a kid in one of the state final games last season that ran into a wing official's knee and was carted off the field for what appeared to be a neck injury. I can only imagine, what would happen if someone collided with a wheel chair in a football game. I think if you follow the rule that is the best way to protect yourself. When someone gets hit with a lawsuit over this and the official had to follow the rule, the rule might change.

Peace

This situation came up for us a couple of years ago. We wouldn't let the chair on the sidelines.

Player safety trumps "human rights" any day of the week.

Thanks for all the help. Some of you stated "follow the rule". What rule are you referring to?

3 coaches in the coaching box

We've got a coach at a local middle school that's been coaching for about 10 years. He's been in a wheelchair since he started. He always positions his chair behind the play and his substitutes are not allowed to behind him so he can back up if the play comes back at him.

I have to admit at first I didn't think he belonged there but he has shown that he is a qualified coach. He is respectful to other coaches, players and officials