Game injury - would you say anything?

[Anonymous]

My son (U12) had a tournament this weekend. Some of his teammates were out of town, so they had no subs. And the coach had two teams in a tournament, so the team manager acted as coach for this morning’s game (Coach wasn’t there).
Early in game, my son was kicked in the head by a high kick. He held his head for a few seconds, the team manager asked if he was OK and he nodded. Our team received a penalty kick, and the game kept going. My son kept on putting his hand to his head, so I could tell it was hurting him. There were times when he wasn’t playing very well - not going after the ball, not being where he should, etc. so the team manager was screaming at him. His position is left forward, and he was along the side the coaches/team area (opposite side of the field from the parents).
At halftime they called me over to look at him, and my son has a huge goose egg and 4 inch scratch across his forehead from where he was kicked. I asked if he wanted to keep playing, and he did. The assistant manager didn’t scream at him as much the second half, I think he realized that my son really was hurt.
I know kids get injured in sports. But it is the responsibility of the coach/team manager to make sure the kids are OK when things happen. That didn’t happen. And instead of making sure he was OK, he berated him for not playing well.
He was dizzy after the game, so I took him to urgent care. He passed the concussion test, so he’s fine. But obviously the kick was substantial.

[Anonymous]

Not good at all re. the manager's reaction to your son's injury. Any contact to the head should be taken seriously and the possiblity of a concussion always considered. The latest research on concussion treatment is that the first few hours after impact it is critical towards the eventual path to recovery that that the injured player does not continue with physical activity. The manager was probably overwhelmed with taking over from the coach but he/she really mishandled your son's particular injury if you ask me.

[Anonymous]

PP here
Glad your son is doing okay and does not have a concussion

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not good at all re. the manager's reaction to your son's injury. Any contact to the head should be taken seriously and the possiblity of a concussion always considered. The latest research on concussion treatment is that the first few hours after impact it is critical towards the eventual path to recovery that that the injured player does not continue with physical activity. The manager was probably overwhelmed with taking over from the coach but he/she really mishandled your son's particular injury if you ask me.

Thank you. I think that is what is bothering me the most. It was an obvious head injury, and they didn’t bother checking - even after he kept putting his hand to his head. I couldn’t tell from the opposite side of the field exactly what happened or how bad his injury was.
But you’re right, the team manager was probably overwhelmed. And I should just let it go.

[Anonymous]

Please say something. That was a violation of concussion protocols. Your kid was okay but the next kid might not be.

[Anonymous]

in most leagues the team managers have to take concussion training to get carded and allowed to be on the sidelines. Your son shouldn't have been allowed to go back in the game. definitely say something.

[Anonymous]

Yes, the team manager may have been wrong here, but I see some big red flags on how you responded. First, the team manager was filling in and doesn't know the kids as well as the coach and certainly not as well as you know your own son. So you saw your son get kicked in the head, routinely holding his head, not playing well, out of position, and you didn't feel that you should intervene? That had concussion protocol written all over it.

[Anonymous]

Double fail: your manager should have pulled him and you as a parent should have pulled him.

It’s a head injury. Every parent should know about the concussion protocol and protect their kids.

Double fail.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Double fail: your manager should have pulled him and you as a parent should have pulled him.

It’s a head injury. Every parent should know about the concussion protocol and protect their kids.

Double fail.

+1

FWIW, I play in an adult rec league and had a similar injury myself last night. I was taken off the field immediately.

[Anonymous]

The club is a fault here no doubt. Ihpe your player is recovering without issue. Not that the outcome would be any different. The bigger issue is that your club had a team manager coaching the game. and a tournament at that. We are not paying $$$ for a volunteer manager to coach. I don't buy the scheduling conflict BS. Every team pays for a coach and should have one. Thats why every team should have a paid head and assistant coach with one available to the assigned team no matter what.

[Anonymous]

I'm a team manager, and all team managers should have the same concussion training as coaches. It is quite thorough and from your description, the acting coach, should have pulled him from the field and benched him for the rest of the game out of caution.

On our team, a kick to the head, would likely warrant missing a day or two of practice with a coach following up with parents to find out if they followed up with a doctor and were having the kid rest at home.

It is very clear in the training that carded adults (your coach, team manager, etc.) have responsibility for benching players if they feel the player has been impacted by a head injury. You are not supposed to just take a parent's word for it that little larlo is fine. I would mention this to the coach and ask what type of training the team manager has had and maybe suggest they do it again.

[Anonymous]

I agree that the manager should have taken your child out. However, when you went over there at halftime, as a parent, if you didn't think he was fit to play you should have taken him out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree that the manager should have taken your child out. However, when you went over there at halftime, as a parent, if you didn't think he was fit to play you should have taken him out.

+1
I'm sorry for what happened to your child but I think this is on you OP.
I know it's awkward as the team didn't have subs but it's your kid and by not saying anything you were implicitly signaling to the manager that you wanted your child to play. At half time, your child might have looked okay to both you and the manager. But if you saw something amiss on the field later (presumably you were watching your child while the manager was watching everyone and possibly didn't notice any issues) you should have spoken up.

[Anonymous]

We played a game with no subs and the boys were fine. I would have definitely pulled my kid for awhile. Just a learning lesson for the future to act on your gut- sometimes no one will protect your kids more than you.

[Anonymous]

Why did the referee allow him to keep playing after getting kicked in the head? Why did you as a parent allow your child to keep playing when you saw the goose egg bump and scratch at half time?