LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The mother of a Kentucky high school football player who died after collapsing at practice last year says a school system report doesn't provide any answers as to what happened to her son.
Michele Crockett said the Jefferson County Public School's report on 15-year-old Max Gilpin's death left her "furious, angry and hurt."
"They are taking no responsibility for what happened, and they only presented what made them look good," Crockett told The Courier-Journal. "We didn't get any answers today. All we got were more questions."
The school system's report, released Wednesday, concluded that David Jason Stinson, then-Pleasure Ridge Park head football coach, used improper motivation techniques, but didn't violate any rules or regulations in handling practice on Aug. 20, the day Gilpin collapsed. The sophomore offensive lineman died three days later.
Stinson has pleaded not guilty to reckless homicide, a rare case of a coach being criminally charged with an athlete's on-field death. His attorney declined to comment on the release of the report. A trial is scheduled in August.
The school district report released Wednesday also concluded, citing a doctor who reviewed hospital medical information for the school system, that Gilpin may have been ill the day before or the day of the practice and that illness may have contributed to his collapse and death.
Crockett said she was the person who gave the hospital Max's medical history, but she never listed any illness before practice.
"I would not have known what symptoms he was exhibiting prior to the practice because I wasn't with him. He was with his dad," Crockett said.
Crockett also told The Courier-Journal that the school district didn't notify her or Gilpin's father, Jeff Gilpin, in advance that the report would be released.
"We are Max's parents, they know how to get in touch with us," Crockett said. "They should have contacted us."
Source USA Today
In my personal opinion,
1996 when the Olympics were held in Atlanta Georgia these misting fans were introduced to the United States in giving the answer to help athletes with the extreme heat they faced during their time here in the states.
It's now 2009, almost 14 years since the fans were shown to all that they work. Why...knowing how much we value our youth at their most vulnerable age when growing up, why aren't we doing everything to make sure these kids make it through a practice without serious injury in regards to heat exhaustion, heat stroke, severe dehydration from profuse sweating? Misting fans do not prevent heat related injuries, but they offer the best resolve to giving a student athlete the ability to quickly enter a stream of a cooler temperature gradually to help with overheating from being out in the hot temperatures.
The human body reacts very well to transitioning from the heat, it's the consistent heat that puts the perils of danger into motion that can have devastating effects. Too often we hear of the aftermath of these situations unfolding and this one particular tragedy is going to the top. It's already a national headline and the court case is going to happen right at the hottest point of the summer. Do you know how probable a heat related injury is when all these kids are back in school, practicing immediately after class in the hottest part of the day?
PARENTS, those of you with children,
Those of you have spent thousands of dollars on bringing your child from a toddler to a student, with aspirations of college and so much more, I understand you probably don't take the time to watch your child in practice but if you're standing on the sideline sweating, wishing for a cooler place, what do you think practice is like with all that physical activity? The coach isn't going to let the athletes nurse a gatorade or water. That's not true conditioning. Those coaches want the actual game time to be the easiest task of the week of all those practices, so they operate at their optimum and don't tire easily on the field.
20-30 years ago, air conditioning in homes wasn't the norm like it is today. Kids don't spend the majority of their day outside like they did when I was a kid. Schools now have air conditioning, most cars utilize air conditioning, homes almost always have air conditioning now.
Having this much exposure to cooler temperatures and then bringing on extreme temperatures is a risk. That risk can be adjusted by giving these kids the ability to cool down on a sideline without moving down the dangerous path of watching a player enter numerous stages of a decline, all because the body is simply reacting out of self defense mechanisms that can malfunction, fail or lead to death.
Please tell your athletic directors, coaches, staff, high school athletic organizations that you want every available opportunity in regards to making their child safe during outdoor sports activities. You made the investment up to this point, don't let an extracurricular activity of your loved one turn into a "I wish we would of thought of that" blind tale. There's products out there to help control these dangers from always happening.
We are adults and we need to think in the best interest of our aspiring youth, because no matter if they don't become professional athletes, a heat related injury can change their lives forever even though they never pick up a ball or sport ever again. These are phases in the timeline of growing up. Assistance is needed.