Should People Be Concerned About Injuries In School Sports?

I had an opportunity to drive by a few schools and check out the football practices — and then started to shake my head and even cringe.

Great to see students participating. Wonderful to see coaches volunteering, even though I question if some are really qualified to do so in football. But I also saw a fair number of players limping and others slow down after a bone-crunching tackle. It got me wondering about contact sports and how much people are thinking about what to do when a young kid, one playing for the first time, gets hurt.

I think the word I am looking for is liability. All right, so players sign waivers, but I do remember reading a recent story about 1.4 million students getting injured in sports in the U.S. leading to half a million doctors visits and 30,000 hospitalizations. That's in the U.S. Can't seem to find any figures in Canada and OFSAA also doesn't keep track of that information.

Parents should be wondering if their children's high schools are taking the proper measures to reduce the risk of a sports injury, one that might be catastrophic — paralysis to death. I hope so. Also wonder if therapists are at games or nearby?

I know injuries also happen in badminton and soccer and even crossing the street. But football is a major contact sport and many players are coming off a summer of no activity, but sitting in the sun and watching time go by. Not everything falls on the school as parents should talk to coaches, check out quality of equipment, ensure facilities are safe and see if emergency procedures are in place — just in case.

Sports are great, but let's not forget about safety too.

Reputation And Performance Coming Up

Something that always makes for good chitter chatter before the high school football season is the annual debate over talented players - those in their graduating year and the up and comers.

School starts on Tuesday, but we all know that many of the better players have either had game action in the summer league's Ontario Varsity Football League or through pre-season unofficial games or even tossing the ball around with buddies.

And, yes, I've been getting the commentary from everyone but mothers of players (and that might happen very soon) about who is the top player, the top prospect, the can't miss guy and Mr. High School Football among those who compete in leagues throughout the Greater Toronto Area.

Tough to say because these guys haven't showed up in school just yet. Uh, haven't started their leagues and, for all we know, may be at other schools or not even be allowed to play because of rule. Remember the fuss over the transfer rules.

So, here's what I am led to believe. This will be a very good season - and many great athletes. Not sure if the best of the best will be from the Regions outside of the city. So, just to wet your tongue for what should be some interesting postings, here are some of the players to watch.

Running back Raul Thompson at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Mississauga is a can't miss for university coaches - just a question of whether it's the NCAA or in this country. On the subject of finesse and talent, watch out for Akeel Lynch, moving up to the senior game at St. Michael's. Connor Anderson at Huron Heights in Newmarket is a beast with the ball. 

Brandon Bridge could be the No. 1 quarterback. He's at St. Marcellinus In Mississauga, the team that won Peel last year. Justin Babin can catch footballs, just a question on whether the school he attends, Lawrence Park, has a guy who can get him the ball.

Derek Allen at Trinity in Port Hope might be as best as they come at linebacker. Toss in Travis Bent at Pickering and Hussein Hazime at Senator O'Connor in  Toronto. On the line Derek Wiggan at St. Michael's, Cody Millett at Huron Heights and Winston Miles at Forest Hill, a school not known for being at the top with the others. Remember, I'm just listing a few.

More to come - later. Now, it's your turn.

Rumblings From The Gridiron

All right, so I have been trying to seek out information on the upcoming high school football season and some interesting conversations have developed.

Before I get started, the date and locations for the annual Bowl games have finally been determined.

At first, I was told Nov. 26 or Nov. 30 at the Rogers Centre and possibly various universities. Turns out only one of those four were correct: the Rogers Centre.

The provincial sports advisory committee responsible for football, in its wisdom, chose Nov. 25 as the date for all five Bowl games and at the Rogers Centre.

Yes, they really like taking advantage of a free facility or, as one person told me, sucking up to the folks from the Bills in Toronto Series. Better find a comfortable cushion for your you-know-what as 10 schools swarm Toronto to play indoors.

Anyone care to wager that there will be more players, assistants, coaches and team reps than spectators? So much for taking the Bowl games to where they belong -- their own communities.

So, it's a late start to the school year, more teams competing and the football season is squeezed into two months. Sure hope there is a budget for medical personnel - just in case - and updated liability coverage by school Boards of Education.

Back to those conversations. One coach from the Toronto District School Board tells me that while it is a good idea for all coaches to be certified (I've been saying that for a while), it might also be wise for all players to be required to attend a mandatory session that emphasizes sportsmanship and more. Hmm, sounds like an idea - but it won't happen. Some schools will say they already have that built in. Right.

Another coach, from the Durham or Lake Ontario Region, thinks OFSAA needs to have Single/Double-A and Triple/Quad-A finals for football. He argues, and wisely, that smaller schools with student populations ranging from 500 to 1,000 don't stand a chance against the bigger schools. OFSAA does it for other team sports like basketball, soccer, volleyball and rugby. So, he says, why not football? Anyone listening from OFSAA?

And one more. This coach, from Peel Region, says students should be prevented from playing school sports like football if they not only have borderline or failing grades but - if they are obese. Yup, straight from the mouth of the coach and I'm not kidding. Checking some of these kids out these days, he may have a point.

Don't Blame Private Schools So Fast

Have to admit that I didn't expect so much bitterness from readers when both private or independent schools and sports are mentioned in the same breath. Let's get another thing on record. The only time I have attended a private school was to report on games or as a guest speaker. Never as a student.

Seems there is a lack of understanding on the part of some folks about the role of these private schools and a bigger problem with those who wrongly assume that money is flowing like water to recruit every top athlete and sign them up on full scholarships.

Not so. In short, private schools educate students - just like other schools. In some cases, much better too. Also, private schools don't rely on grants from the government or public tax dollars. For private schools to survive, they need students - and parents shelling out almost $30,000 annually for tuition. The amount increases for those who live at these schools.

Seems there are some anxious individuals, likely coaches, who have some words when private schools offer up various forms of financial assistance. Some people believe it's bait for great athletes. Maybe, but parents still have to pick up a significant part of the bill. At one private school in the Greater Toronto Area, the athletic director told me that not one student gets an award or financial help or scholarship that covers the full tuition. Parents have to pay something, usually a significant chunk.

While the financial awards do lead to that word called "recruiting", and another athletic director doesn't deny it occurs, private schools simply don't have a vault that can attract dozens of elite athletes and in all sorts of sports. Do the math. That would be a huge amount of money. Let's not forget that they do recruit students who also excel in drama, music, art and more.

I think some private schools are getting a bad rap. Yes, they compete for students within their own system. Ever since the Conference of Independent Schools Athletic Association became part of the Ontario school sport network, private schools have made sure transfer students abide by rules. One difference, the transfer rule doesn't exist within the CISAA.

On the topic of fairness, maybe people pointing fingers need to be a bit more careful. They should start asking about students who once attended private schools but, for various reasons, had to pull out or withdraw and went back to the public system - and, yes, are immediately eligible to compete. No questions asked. Fair play?

Furthermore, how does a publicly-funded school - where every student is a gifted athlete and many come from outside the school jurisdiction - get away with full eligibility. I smell a rat.