[rmjvol]

Is it just me or does it feel like we're hearing about more and more college football players dying at practice?

The latest is Vince Bernardo. Vince was a freshman at Shippensburg University in Shippensburg, PA.

During the workout, Bernardo started breathing deeply, but attempted to finish the drill. When he was unable to finish, one of the University’s Certified Athletic Trainers went to the field where Bernardo was continuing to breathe heavily, but was alert and responsive. The trainers took him to the athletic training facility where his condition worsened and an ambulance was called. While there, his condition suddenly deteriorated further.

The trainers and other university emergency and safety personnel immediately began CPR at which time the ambulance arrived. Bernardo was taken by ambulance and accompanied by local paramedics to Chambersburg Hospital where he was pronounced dead at approximately 9:30 a.m.

It's just sad that college athletes, who you assume are in great physical shape, die from football practice.

Is there really a problem or is the media to blame for sensationalizing these deaths?

[rmjvol]

One high school football player's mother was going to execute her parental obligations and keeping her athsmatic son our of practice when the heat index hit 106.

She finally let him go but is that the right approach? Do parents need to be the ones stepping in when they think the coach or the kid isn't making the rigth decision?

[Lefty Noob]

Definitely, coaches need to montior these kids, especially their own position coaches as well as the trainers. Not to absolve the head coaches of all responsibility, but they do have a lot more people to keep an eye on, and they're only human. They can miss warning signs that others, with fewer athletes to monitor, should be able to catch.

A lot of media people want to blame supplements, but the supplements themselves are fine as long as they're used properly. And therein lies the problem. Too many kids ODing on these things, or otherwise using them improperly and putting themselves at risk. Not sure if they're ignorant of the possible consequences or they just don't care, but it is problematic whatever the case may be.

[candlejack]

Originally Posted by rmjvol

One high school football player's mother was going to execute her parental obligations and keeping her athsmatic son our of practice when the heat index hit 106.

She finally let him go but is that the right approach? Do parents need to be the ones stepping in when they think the coach or the kid isn't making the rigth decision?

Of course, the parents need to step in when the coaches and kids aren't making the right decisions. Coaches see only a limited amount of time to get the team together and functioning as a unit. The kids want very desperately to make the team. It has to be up to the parents to step in and take charge of their kids well-being.

[TheSportsGuru]

Exactly, it is obviously the responsibility of both, but Coaches need to do a better job of realizing dangers and avoiding those types of situations.

Unfortunitely too many think they are Vince Lombardi or Bill Parcells and run boot camps. Little do they realize that professional football palyers are paid very well for the "risks" they take. Some high school or small college player doesn't need to be doing win sprints in 100 degree heat...

Coaches need better training and need to held accountable for their actions...