Tragic Death

[bama_stripes]

Sad to report that a HS player in our state has died following a hit on Friday night.  Please pray for peace, comfort, and understanding for this young man’s family, friends, teammates, and also for the opponents that were involved.

https://www.selmatimesjournal.com/2024/08/24/morgan-academy-quarterback-dies-after-game-injury/

[Derek Teigen]

My heart breaks for Caden Tellier and his family and for all the kids on that field. I am sending prayers to the entire Alabama high school football community.

[ncwingman]

Admittedly, this isn't necessarily a reliable source, but according to this reddit thread, there was a 30 minute wait for an ambulance because they aren't required to be on-site anymore? Is that true?

[CalhounLJ]

Admittedly, this isn't necessarily a reliable source, but according to this reddit thread, there was a 30 minute wait for an ambulance because they aren't required to be on-site anymore? Is that true?

It’s true in Calhoun county Mississippi. We have 4 schools in the county and only two ambulances. One has to be at dispatch all the time so that only leaves one to be on site at 4 schools.

[Fatso]

Sad to report that a HS player in our state has died following a hit on Friday night.  Please pray for peace, comfort, and understanding for this young man’s family, friends, teammates, and also for the opponents that were involved.

https://www.selmatimesjournal.com/2024/08/24/morgan-academy-quarterback-dies-after-game-injury/

Terrible, so sad. May God bless him and his family and the school community. 

[ncwingman]

It’s true in Calhoun county Mississippi. We have 4 schools in the county and only two ambulances. One has to be at dispatch all the time so that only leaves one to be on site at 4 schools.

That's very different from the rural area where I live, and I'm not sure I have the right words to finish that thought at this time, but it's not a good conclusion.

I understand the realities of the socioeconomic situation of the area, but maybe that means some other situations need to be different. This probably could have ended differently if prompt medical care was available (although I don't know the details), but if that care isn't available, maybe we shouldn't be playing football.

[ilyazhito]

That is a reasonable statement. DC requires a doctor on site to play football games, and an athletic trainer for other events.

[bama_stripes]

Admittedly, this isn't necessarily a reliable source, but according to this reddit thread, there was a 30 minute wait for an ambulance because they aren't required to be on-site anymore? Is that true?

I don’t do Reddit, so I can’t read the thread.  However, it’s not unlikely that the statement is true.  This was a game played in Selma between two small private schools.

I’m sure details (if not video of the play) will come out eventually.

[dammitbobby]

Apparently this is the 4th football-related death this year. 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/08/17/high-school-football-player-dies-ovet-gomez-regalado/74841990007/

It's likely the ambulance was out on another call when this happened, hence the delay... there's a lot of criticism in the post's comments about not having an ambulance on site. That's tough for smaller communities with limited resources.

Prayers to everyone who knew these student athletes and their families.

[lawdog]

Back one million years ago when I was playing, we had a playoff game where it was cold as is usual in MN at the end of the football season and an opponent of ours suffered a neck injury.  We were in the boonies where several towns had co-opted together to form a school and field a team.  No idea where the ambulance had to come from, but we had a 45 minute delay.  IT WAS AWFUL.  Kid laid on that field with coats and blankets and whatever they could find piled on him.

Having said that, I don't recall that I've officiated a varsity game in the last 23 years without one on site.  Hope I don't have to anytime soon either.  But in these smaller communities many have volunteer on-call ambulance services and if there is an ambulance call or two they may not have the resources to stay.  We also never have them for lower level games.  And that can be bad.  I've worked a couple of those where we've had to call the ambulance to come.