An honest question about a teams protocol when someone from the other team is injured

[Dlbdonn]

When did it become "mandatory" that players take a knee while an injured player from the opposing team is being tended to on the field?

 

A few years ago when Trinity played Grant County in the play-offs they were pretty harshly criticized because their coaches had them in groups and were continuing to coach them while a player was being tended to. When Trinity played Simon Kenton in the championship their fans even started chanting take a knee while one of their players was down on the field.

 

This was not the case 30 years ago when I was in high school. It certainly seems to me that a team can be on their own sideline, walking around and staying "loose" especially when it is cold without being "disrespectful" (a much over used word I might add) to the injured player.

 

Opinions?

In what world do you live in that Trinity played Grant County in the Playoffs . To me it is giving the public school players a chance to display their Christianity outwardly without chance of recriminations . Copying the big boys in the NFL.

[Dlbdonn]

You're correct. It was Graves County in 2008.

Im a slow typist

[born2reign]

If the players are sent to their sideline for an extended injury timeout it is totally legal for their coaches to talk to them. I guess I look at it differently. I don't see it as ignoring an injury if a coach continues to coach while a player is down and even have no problem with it if its his player down. I know that Friday night while the medics were attending to Quick on the field, Trinity's coaches were talking to their players getting them ready for their new role in the game. Unfortunately injuries are part of the game but I really believe that way to much has been made out of teams "disrespecting" an injured player when they don't take a knee.

 

If players are sent to the sideline that is different than being on the field, so a coach can talk to them. If players are on the field of play during an official stoppage I do not believe that a coach can talk to those players on the field.

 

I also think we may be talking about some different scenarios based on what folks are writing. I want to make myself clear.

 

1. If a game is stopped for an injury, I have my players that are on the field take a knee. I have my student managers take water to them while they are on a knee, but no coaches talk to those players on the field. The players on the field will talk to each other, however.

 

2. My players that are on the sideline do not take a knee and we continue to coach those players as we would at any other time during the game.

 

3. If it is my player that is injured, the position coach will speak to the player about to go in since this player is on the sideline. The head man normally goes out to check in on the injury and the nature of it.

 

Again, I do it out of respect for the kids competing. I like the message of sportsmanship that it sends.

 

Just one coaches opinion, again.