You guys go the whole nine yards trying to blame the victim, and with no solid facts to back it up.

 

If the lives and habits of the kids are as you say they are, it seems that the adults in the situation would make adjustments accordingly. It certainly doesn't seem the case that the kids in Georgia were wimpy, couch potatoes. http://www.ajc.com/sports/high-school/dad-says-son-who-1068806.html

 

My take is the increased competitiveness and emphasis in winning at any cost.

 

Here's some reasons according to people who have actually researched the problem. http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2011/08/05/football-and-heat-whos-at-risk/?iref=allsearch

 

Players are getting bigger.

 

It’s getting hotter. Several studies have shown climate conditions are getting hotter and more humid.

 

Morning practices, which are often scheduled so players can work out before the heat of the day, didn’t keep players from dying. The study found more than half of the deaths between 1980 and 2009 were during the morning. Higher humidity, which is common in the morning, is the likely reason.

 

Researchers found “in 13 cases, news reports specifically noted that the death occurred within the first 3 days of practice” when players are less conditioned, and are more apt to be less accustomed to working out in the heat. An earlier study in Alabama found that “there were no environmental combinations at any time periods during the month of August for any locale in the state that would be considered safe for outdoors practice in full uniform”

 

Got that? For that year in Alabama not a single day was suitable football practice with full pads. My sister lives in northern Alabama. During the summer, when you open the car door to get out, a blast of hot air hits you like opening a hot oven. I worked at a summer camp in Alabama 3 summers, no AC anywhere. I know what it's like. Brutally hot.

 

When I was in high school, class of 1969, no football was played until September. There were fewer hot day practices. When I was in college, they didn't play until September. Now, KY high schools anyway, play two games in August which means more hot preseason practices. Dealing with the cold in November and December would be less deadly.

 

Nobody is blaming the victim, never once did I utter the words "blame" or "fault", ever! All I stated was that they (media) investigate the factors that I listed, as quick and as much as they investigate (or quick to blame) coaches. That's all. Got that? Why not look into the 99.99% of players who never have issues with the heat? Instead of investigating, trying to find out what the coach and other adults might have done wrong; lets also look at what they did right with the rest, as well as the habits of the other players who seem to never have heat related issues?

 

I couldn't agree more with the bolded statement. 100%, whole heartedly agree with that.

 

I want these tragedies to end as much as you, and if it means asking the difficult questions (for players, parents, coaches, etc.) will eventually help lead to a day where these young lives aren't passing away so tragically, then so be it.

Edited August 6, 201115 yr by Harry Doyle

I can't speak for everyone, but Tim hydrated himself very well. He spent a lot of time in the sun during the summer prior to him going to heaven. There's really no place to point a finger and place blame anywhere. Later.

 

Agreed, whole heartedly.

Nobody is blaming the victim, never once did I utter the words "blame" or "fault", ever!

 

that kids — as a general rule — don't spend much time playing outdoors the way they did a generation ago. Because of that, kids are not adequately acclimated to the heat when they report for practice in July.

 

You never said this, but, I believe, you did say You nailed it with that, but the media and our culture will never outright accept that reasoning and many other harsh truths, either, unfortunately.

 

This seems like blaming the kids to me, at least in an indirect way. I get so tired on people insinuating kids are wimps nowadays. It is unfair and distracts from solving the problem.

You guys go the whole nine yards trying to blame the victim, and with no solid facts to back it up.

 

If the lives and habits of the kids are as you say they are, it seems that the adults in the situation would make adjustments accordingly. It certainly doesn't seem the case that the kids in Georgia were wimpy, couch potatoes. http://www.ajc.com/sports/high-school/dad-says-son-who-1068806.html

 

My take is the increased competitiveness and emphasis in winning at any cost.

 

Here's some reasons according to people who have actually researched the problem. http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2011/08/05/football-and-heat-whos-at-risk/?iref=allsearch

 

Players are getting bigger.

 

It’s getting hotter. Several studies have shown climate conditions are getting hotter and more humid.

Morning practices, which are often scheduled so players can work out before the heat of the day, didn’t keep players from dying. The study found more than half of the deaths between 1980 and 2009 were during the morning. Higher humidity, which is common in the morning, is the likely reason.

 

Researchers found “in 13 cases, news reports specifically noted that the death occurred within the first 3 days of practice” when players are less conditioned, and are more apt to be less accustomed to working out in the heat. An earlier study in Alabama found that “there were no environmental combinations at any time periods during the month of August for any locale in the state that would be considered safe for outdoors practice in full uniform”

 

Got that? For that year in Alabama not a single day was suitable football practice with full pads. My sister lives in northern Alabama. During the summer, when you open the car door to get out, a blast of hot air hits you like opening a hot oven. I worked at a summer camp in Alabama 3 summers, no AC anywhere. I know what it's like. Brutally hot.

 

When I was in high school, class of 1969, no football was played until September. There were fewer hot day practices. When I was in college, they didn't play until September. Now, KY high schools anyway, play two games in August which means more hot preseason practices. Dealing with the cold in November and December would be less deadly.

 

Only if you believe Al Gore!

Air conditioning and Playstation, Xbox. Kids don't get out and play in it enough these days. AC definitely makes a hot, humid outside a shock to the body.

 

 

don't forget about GNC and the like. I feel that is contributing tremendously. Although I believe the PC and game consoles carry most of the blame.

 

well maybe not blame...but those activities aren't doing you any favors in terms of acclimation.

Edited August 6, 201115 yr by GameofLife
clarifying blame.

that kids — as a general rule — don't spend much time playing outdoors the way they did a generation ago. Because of that, kids are not adequately acclimated to the heat when they report for practice in July.

 

You never said this, but, I believe, you did say You nailed it with that, but the media and our culture will never outright accept that reasoning and many other harsh truths, either, unfortunately.

 

This seems like blaming the kids to me, at least in an indirect way. I get so tired on people insinuating kids are wimps nowadays. It is unfair and distracts from solving the problem.

 

Just like anything, there are a lot of variables involved, and that flies in the face of our society's overwhelming need to assess singular blame for anything and everything bad that happens.

 

I don't think it's all on the kids, but the fact is that kids' day-to-day habits nowadays are a lot different than a generation ago. I grew up in the '70s and '80s. In the summer, I left the house in the morning and stayed outside playing all day long, only returning home for lunch and supper. My mom never worried about it one bit, and I was overweight then just as I am now. Kids don't spend enough time outdoors nowadays, and as a result, they aren't well-acclimated to the heat. I just don't see why this is such a controversial thing to suggest.

 

By the same token, it seems that in any tragic instance such as this one, all blame is put on the coach. I'm especially referring to what I felt was totally irresponsible behavior on the part of the Courier-Journal in the Max Gilpin death and how they decided Jason Stinson, the PRP coach, was 100 percent to blame, and convicted him in the court of public opinion.

 

Sure, there are a few dinosaur coaches out there who still have that silly, macho drill-sergeant style. There may even be a few coaches out there who feel that precautions such as the ones mandated by the KHSAA are unnecessary and that kids should "run 'til they puke" to "toughen them up." I'd like to think, though, that schools are much more cognizant of the danger that these drill sergeant types can pose to kids, and the liability that comes into play should something tragic happen.

 

Unfortunately, bad things do sometimes happen. Sometimes there's fault to be assessed. Sometimes it's just a horrible, tragic accident, and there are numerous factors involved. There are ways to reduce the chances of a tragic accident happening; precautions that can be taken by coaches, trainers, players and parents. I'm concerned that those precautions aren't always being taken by coaches, trainers, players and parents.

don't forget about GNC and the like. I feel that is contributing tremendously. Although I believe the PC and game consoles carry most of the blame.

 

well maybe not blame...but those activities aren't doing you any favors in terms of acclimation.

Wrong. Has nothing to do with it. I'm 36 and use differnet supplements. I have worked out in the heat and although it is definitely harder then in a gym I'm still here.

 

Sometimes it's medical, sometimes kids are ready for the heat, sometimes kids don't eat right, sometimes kids don't hydrate right, and sometimes kids just die. It breaks my heart everytime I read a story about the fact is there isn't always someone or something to blame.

that kids — as a general rule — don't spend much time playing outdoors the way they did a generation ago. Because of that, kids are not adequately acclimated to the heat when they report for practice in July.

 

You never said this, but, I believe, you did say You nailed it with that, but the media and our culture will never outright accept that reasoning and many other harsh truths, either, unfortunately.

 

 

This seems like blaming the kids to me, at least in an indirect way. I get so tired on people insinuating kids are wimps nowadays. It is unfair and distracts from solving the problem.

 

Umm, yes; I agreed with a comment about kids (as a whole) these days not adequately being acclimated to the heat (which, I agree), and that the media will never support that reason as part of the problem. However, I also agree with many other theories (see yours about starting to early, as an example). I have no idea how you interpreted me agreeing with that comment as finding sole "fault" and "blame" in the victims alone.