Expert: Bret Temple - 6/30/2008

Question
QUESTION: Bret,

Greetings! My son was injured in a full contact charge drill at his school. He was not the player taken the charge but the player instructed to drive hard to basket and make a layup. As  instructed dribbling hard to basket left his feet for the layup and was undercut by the player practicing taking a charge. Do you feel this was a unsafe drill or activity?

ANSWER: Hi Greg,

I've coached, and officiated and been around youth basketball for a long time, and never have I seen a coach practice taking a charge and put his players in jeopardy of getting hurt. I don't know what age level your son is playing in, but to purposely put players at risk by practicing that drill is terrible. There are so many plays and drills to practice in basketball, that if a team takes 1 charge during the course of the game, it's not worth wasting time, energy and risking injury to actually practice that. if i were you, I would complain, and tell the coach your son will not be participating if he insists on utilizing such a ridiculous drill, and rally other parents to join you.  I'm sorry your son got hurt. I hope he gets better soon.

good Luck.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Bret,

I agree with your thoughts. My son is a 15 year old freshman. I too have coached basketball and officiated for the last 10 years. I am very upset about any kid doing a full contact charge drill. The freshman coaches had closed practices and we were not aware of the  danger he was in until he was already hurt. We heard he was trying to toughen the kids up. He had a T-Conular break of his upper arm. He had 5 hour surgery and two plates and ten screws in his arm. It was 5 months ago and he still doesn't have full movement in the arm and loss of feeling in two fingers. He is still in therapy. Do you think the coaches were negligent in running such a dangerous drill.

Thanks

Greg

Answer
Wow!!!  Again, i'm really sorry that happened to him.  I'm not a lawyer, but I do feel the coache's decision to run such an unsafe drill was as negligent as it was stupid. If I were you, I would consult an attorney and pursue damages. In addition, if the coaches are employed by the school district, I would sue the district as well as the coaches themseleves. That kind of stupidity cannot exist in youth sports. I wish you a lot of luck and a speedy recovery for your son.