On Thursday my Son tore his ACL--- and then his Coach told him to man up and get back in.

[trumad]

My Son is a Varsity Football player going into his Senior year for a Central High School Football team that went to Regionals last year.

Right now they're in Spring Training and it's pretty damn grueling here in Hot Florida.

He's the starting Right Tackle for the team and he's a one tough SOB.

I happened to be at the practice on Thursday and noticed him pull up real bad after one of the plays...a pass protection play.... he was visibly injured.. barely able to walk with his left leg.

The Offensive line coach---new to the team--- a 73 year old veteran coach who has coached in the Pro's---College, etc... told my tough SOB son that football is a "Man's game and if you can still walk, you can play".

My son entered the huddle, lined up for the next play... backed out for pass protection and then fell hard to the ground.

And----that was my son's last play as a High School football player and most likely his last play ever as a football player.

The trainer came out on the field, checked out the leg, got him up and had him walk back to the bench. They iced it, and after practice had him walk unattended to the locker room. In the locker room he went down hard again--- knee must have shifted---again-- which is exactly what happens when your ACL has disintegrated. The Trainer had no idea what was wrong and simply suggested getting him to the Orthopedic Clinic.

It was determined by the Orthopedic Doctor---after the MRI--- that he most likely tore his ACL on the first play---the play before his coach told him to Man up... and his Knee pretty much popped in and out on the 2nd play. The kid said the pain was some pretty serious shit... he should know because in 2006 he broke his femur on the very same leg.

An ACL takes a good 6-8 months to recover---surgery to replace the ACL, rehab, etc. With today's medical technology I'm confident he'll be as good as new in about a year. Problem is---he's an upcoming Senior and the football season will be long over by the time he recovers. As noted---he's done playing football.


I thought long and hard about writing a letter to the coaching staff to express that maybe---just maybe---if a tough SOB like my son--a kid who never complained about injury--- is limping to the point of not walking, then maybe he's injured enough to get him to the sidelines and into the hands of the trainer.

This Man up Shit maybe old school but in MHO---it's old school ignorant.

Look-- I understand that some players like to feign injury to take a break or two.... my son tells me all kind's of stories about players who do it. But again--- when one of your toughest players, a 6:2--240 pound lineman who can leg press 500 pounds---comes up limping really bad... pay the fuck attention and don't question his manhood.

Nah--- no letter... even though my wife want's to bring down thunder.

The Ortho Doctor is pretty certain my son tore the ACL before the coach said what he said.....but who knows????

There our thousands of stories like this throughout the history of this sport. Just watch North Dallas Forty for a lesson in Man up and play or else bullshit.

Knee injuries, neck--ankle's, you name it.... all short time remedied with a couple of codeine shots---and don't even get started on Concussions.

I love football... it's my all time favorite sport---and I loved watching my kid play.

But the Man Up attitudes of Coaches and staff needs to be a thing of the past....

Nuff said.

[Condem]

1. Best wishes to your son, Tru.

I can't imagine how much he was looking forward to his senior season...and possibly beyond.

[trumad]

2. He's actually taking it better than I am....

I mentioned to my wife that we--my son and I--- were both taking it very hard after we received the news...

She said---you--why you...you weren't playing.

I then went on a 1/2 hour rant on why me and even her should be upset.... countless trips taking him to practice over the years--- hundreds of dollars spent for equipment, etc.... hundreds of dollars on Protein powder...etc...

Daily encouragement to keep his MoJo going.... attending dozens of games, practices, etc....

All over with a twist of the knee.

Parents invest a load of time for their sports playing kids....some barely have a life if they have 2 or 3 kids playing different sports.

Oh well--- time to turn him onto Golf. :-)

[Condem]

3. I imagine the toughest thing will be watching...

...knowing that should be him playing. Old soldiers try to scratch legs that have been dust for many years. Your boy grew up playing ball. To have it suddenly taken from him...man, that's tough. Tough on everyone. I wish your whole family all the best. :thumbsup:

[trumad]

4. Thanks

Time for phase two in his life...

School work--- college... life.

[a la izquierda]

5. Oh, that sucks so badly...

My 15 year old cousin just tore hers. Varsity soccer player, needs to get a scholarship to go to college. Luckily, she's only a sophomore. She'll be able to play her senior year.

[KamaAina]

21. That is a serious and widespread problem in women's soccer

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/11/magazine/11Girls-t.html?em&ex=1210737600&en=88ca321c53bf3e77&ei=5087%0A

BY THE TIME JANELLE PIERSON SPRINTED ONTO THE FIELD for the start of the Florida high-school soccer playoffs in January, she had competed in hundreds of games since joining her first team at 5. She played soccer year-round — often for two teams at a time when the seasons of her school and club teams overlapped. Like many American children deeply involved in sports, Janelle, a high-school senior, had traveled like a professional athlete since her early teens, routinely flying to out-of-state tournaments. She had given up other sports long ago, quitting basketball and tennis by age 10. There was no time for any of that, and as she put it: “Even if you wanted to keep playing other sports, people would question you. They’d be, like, ‘Why do you want to do that?’ ”

Janelle was one of the best players on a very good high-school team, the Lady Raiders of St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale. A midfielder and a 2007 first-team, all-Broward-County selection, she had both a sophistication and a fury to her game — she could adroitly put a pass right on the foot of a teammate to set up a goal, and a moment later risk a bone-jarring collision by leaping into the air to head a contested ball.

That she was playing at all on this day, though, was a testament not to her talent but rather to her high threshold for pain, fierce independence and formidable powers of persuasion. Janelle returned to action a little more than five months after having an operation to repair a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament, or A.C.L., in her right knee. And just 20 months before that, she suffered the same injury to her other knee....

Janelle told her parents that she was still determined to play soccer in college — and that she would race through her rehab in order to salvage the end of her senior season in high school. Her physical therapist thought that was a bad idea. Her surgeon was reluctant to write a letter to her school stating that she was medically cleared to resume playing, but Janelle persuaded him.

Also in Florida. :(

[JonLP24]

6. Sorry to hear about your son

awful move by the coach especially at the HS level. I feel that at those levels and below, players should be encouraged to get injuries checked out if they're in pain. It creates a mindset that it is important to stay in the game and therefore less likely to report something minor that could turn out serious. I believe you that a few players feign injuries but I also believe some players won't say anything if they are hurt and stay in the game. I think it is important to encourage players to get checked out at these levels. I understand it is similar in the "man up sense" but also different in the pros. Players know if they get a rep that they are injured all the time teams won't want to sign him and the team he plays for won't want to keep him.

Anyways I'm rambling. I'm sorry to hear about your son and coaches like him shouldn't be teaching high school ball imo.

[caraher]

7. Sorry to hear this

That "old school" garbage needs to go away... failure to respect injuries by coaches has ruined more athletic careers than I care to count. What's worse - some malingerer taking a break and getting away with it, or a real injury exacerbated to the point of being done for the season or career?

That said, you never know how it will turn out. My father missed his senior season of football and said it was the best thing that could have happened to him. Instead of being on the field he took part in the social life surrounding the games for the first time and really enjoyed it...

[Auggie]

8. Are you asking for opinions?

My two cents says to write the letter. Maybe the only way to combat the old school ignorant "man-up shit" is to complain, and loudly.

Vibes for a quick recovery, and a long and healthy love of golf.

[trumad]

9. Double edge on that one...

Believe me...after writing the Op I have been contemplating changing my mind---especially after writing the part about them making him walk a good distance back to the locker room after practice. They had a golf cart that carries water, etc.... they could have easily loaded him on it and drove him back.

That kind of pisses me off.....

On the other hand,,,,, causing a stink may cause some push back from his teammates, coaches and staff and ostracize him a bit.

I may just write a nice letter informing them of my observations and how it could have been handled better.

[Auggie]

10. You're more level-headed than I would be...

(and that's a good thing). All the best, however you proceed.

[1gobluedem]

11. Sorry to hear it, I hope he heals quickly and well

Sorry, too, that it seems to be the end of his football career.

High school football is really getting over the top, especially in Florida. Spring practice, I've been told, is 'voluntary' (it doesn't exist here in the north), yet players who don't 'voluntarily' particiapte can count on riding the bench during the season. My best friend's son went to a small Jesuit high school in Miami, not a traditional football powerhouse and he had either mandatory or 'voluntary' practice, or football-related activity, every single day throughout the entire school year. Too much for growing kids; there were a lot of injuries and a lot of kids quit.

[bluedigger]

12. Sorry to hear that!

I hope his replacement and recovery go well! I had my left ACL replaced ten years ago. The doctor said it appeared to have ruptured years before that. So it's not that debilitating. I was back working on my feet in about two months after the surgery, but it was six months before I felt "right". Of course serious athletics wasn't a consideration at 41, but I remain active still. If he has a choice, tell him to get the "donor" tissue, and not to let them cut up his patella tendon, like I did. That was a mistake.

[SidDithers]

13. Write the letter...

and best wishes to your son for a speedy recovery.

Sid

[cherokeeprogressive]

14. Write the letter. ACL reconstructs are no laughing matter. I've had two.

They are painful as hell and they require a ton of rehab and patience. I've never really felt like either of mine has been 100% since the surgeries. I'm sure though that since I had the last one ('92) the protocols have come a long way.

One piece of advice, work really hard on flexion/extension. The original ACL reconstruct post-op protocol had the knee locked in a brace at 45 degrees. Lots of people who had the surgery years ago cannot extend their lower legs 100% because of this. As for me, I sat in the bathtub night after night in water as hot as I could stand and leaned on my knee, forcing it to full extension.

Best of luck to your son trumad and I hope everything works out.

Bicycling is a great strength builder after this type of surgery and the stronger the quad, the stronger the leg over all.

Write the letter. Give 'em hell.

"Walk it off", "man up", and "rub some dirt on it" weren't even good old school ideas.

[era veteran]

15. So sorry about your son trumad, tough break

but unacceptable coaching by the 'adults' involved. Florida, and that Coach should man up. Hope he still has a great Senior year, that only happens once.

[El Supremo]

16. Sorry tru.

And I rarely offer sympathy.

[madinmaryland]

17. Sorry to hear about your son, tru. The coach(es) sound like they need

something in writing expressing your displeasure with the way your son was treated. You don't need to write a letter in the style of something you might send to cboy4, but you need to send something to them. ESPECIALLY since it was "only" spring training.

It also ruined a good chance of getting a scholarship to a major university. It's good to see that you are still making sure he goes to college (and he wants) to get an education.

[trumad]

18. Thought about going in and seeing the Principal along with the Head Coach

Honestly the Man up thing isn't bothering me as much as to what happened after he went to the sideline with the injury.

[TZ]

19. Rob Dibble is your coach?

I hate this macho shit with a passion. It really does so much harm. Please do write your letter so no one else has to go through what your son goes through. I hope he gets well soon

[ProfessorGAC]

20. No More Fighting, Tru

That's a bummer for your son. I hope he gets feeling better really soon.

BTW: I'd write the letter. It might just save someone else's kid some misery.
GAC

[trumad]

22. Thanks Professor...

I don't consider the banter here fighting...

Smack talk---nothing more and nothing personal.

Peace