I've blogged a number of times on here my complaints and feelings about the coaching staff at Henderson County High School in Henderson, Ky. Those angry feelings and words climaxed after the death of a Henderson player last July.
Sixteen year old junior lineman Ryan Owens collapsed and died on the field at Henderson County High. The suit filed today by the deceased's parents alleges that the staff's gross negligence resulted in their son's death. Click the title of this post to read about the details.
Tom "Duffer" Duffy, Jr (head coach) and his father, Duffy, Sr. have long been regarded as being less than stellar individuals. This season alone Henderson County dealt with the death of Owens, the coach being reminded that hazing and abusing players was unacceptable, the coach being suspended and fined for using an ineligible player, and the long time broadcaster of Henderson County football resigning after an on air shouting match with Duffy, Jr. that culminated in Duffy, Jr. dropping the f-bomb.
And that's just this season, and that's just what I know of.
The Duffys are a black eye on football coaches in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and at the very least should be permanently banned from coaching high school kids. In a school of over 2000 students, Henderson routinely fields teams of 45 or less players because of the unpopularity of the coaching staff.
It is my personal hope that they are punished both civilly and criminally. The wheels of justice are just beginning to turn in this case. I'll keep you all posted as it develops, but I hope the ending brings some solace to the Owens family and some relief to those who still have children suiting up for the Colonels.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
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8 comments:
This has been one big mess from the get go and the Henderson County High School and Board of Education continued to bring attention to themselves all football season long after this happened.
After he Duffy was under the gun anyway, the Board of Ed. decided to throw gas on the fire and suspend Duffy for a game for treatment of his players.
They basically said that they were in the mood for a big fight.
This kid's family will get a good chunk of change and the Duffy's will be out and everything will die down eventually.
Terrible situation all the way around.
I think the KHSAA needs to look really hard into moving the season up a month or so. It seems that the first 3 or 4 games are played in 80 degree weather, and that's at night.
I think a good plan would be to move the season up a month and have the teams practice mostly at night. If something like that could happen, I believe that tragedies like this might occur less.
I believe this season started 2 weeks earlier because people don't come out to watch high school football games in below freezing temps in mid-November. Same way for soccer.
Unfortunately too many decisions are made regarding money and not safety.
Football is meant for cold weather. If a school wins their games, fans will come watch them in the pouring rain.
Nothing will change because just like the NCAA it is all about money. If the weather is warmer, odds are more casual fans will come out and the school makes more money. Unfortunately a few football players have to die.
I don't like to wish ill on anyone, but justice would be served if whoever was responsible for this is made to pay through the nose.
But it's reasonable to say that Owens would still be alive if the Duffy's were doing what they should have and if they had called the ambulance immediately.
Basically, in my eyes, this kid died because his coach was a jerk.
If the KHSAA wants to address this seriously then they'll either push the season back (won't happen) or they'll make those "recommendations" rules. It shouldn't be a suggestion that coaches pay attention to heat index. It should be a hard and fast rule that is enforced strictly.
I think Bratch may be right to an extent especially for the vast majority of marginal teams. Piccu's right if they're great then people will come.
My opinion is that practicing in the heat can be done you just have highly cognisant of hydration status and some other things. Sounds like this guy at Henderson was just blatantly negligent as Travis said.
The bottom line is that when it is that hot you can't ignore any kid that can't catch his breath and you can't deny anyone water under any circumstances.
I'll say that I don't think that the Henderson Co. football coaches did much different from any other football team as far as practicing goes. The problem was that they weren't taking on the responsibility of checking the temperature and humidity readings.
The reason that the KHSAA "recommends" coaches to check the temp and humidity and give frequent water breaks is because in a case where a kid ends up in the hospital or worse, they can check their records.
Now, when you combine that with what seems to be a known history of hazing, verbal abuse and generally poor treatment of players, that's how you get sued.
Especially after the circus that the coaches, high school and Board of Education had running up there this year.
The bottom line is that when it is that hot you can't ignore any kid that can't catch his breath and you can't deny anyone water under any circumstances.
I'll say that I don't think that the Henderson Co. football coaches did much different from any other football team as far as practicing goes. The problem was that they weren't taking on the responsibility of checking the temperature and humidity readings.
The reason that the KHSAA "recommends" coaches to check the temp and humidity and give frequent water breaks is because in a case where a kid ends up in the hospital or worse, they can check their records.
Now, when you combine that with what seems to be a known history of hazing, verbal abuse and generally poor treatment of players, that's how you get sued.
Especially after the circus that the coaches, high school and Board of Education had running up there this year.
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