Athlete Suffers Brain Damage During Unsafe Drill

Case Overview

This action sports case takes place in New York and involves an injury sustained by a college athlete during a hockey drill. The plaintiff is a male student who was playing as goalie on his college’s varsity hockey team. On the day in question, the coach ran a practice drill where the players were instructed to shoot pucks into the goal one after another while the plaintiff was not wearing protective gear. At one point, the student was concerned for his safety and asked the coach to stop the drill. However, the coach dismissed his concerns and continued coaching with the exercise. Eventually, one of the pucks hit the student in the head, and he now suffers from permanent brain damage.

Questions to the Sports & Recreation expert and their responses

Please discuss your background in setting safety standards as it relates to school sports.

This case is right in my area of expertise. I coached college hockey for 7 years, youth lacrosse for 3 years, and for the past 15 years I have served as a professor and academic chair of physical education at a community college. I have extensive knowledge as to what constitutes proper supervision of hockey drills.

What could have been done to avoid this accident?

I would be able to speak to coaching standards and would like to know what kind of equipment the students were wearing and whether it was a sanctioned practice.

Please tell us why you are qualified to serve as an expert reviewer of this case.

I have extensive knowledge as to what constitutes proper supervision of hockey drills. I have not had an injury like this occur while I was a coach, and I am happy to discuss further.

About the expert

This highly qualified athletic safety expert specializes in risk management programs for sports, recreation and fitness activities. He coached college lacrosse for 7 years, youth lacrosse for 3 years, and he currently serves as Professor and Academic Chair of the Physical Education Department at a NY community college. This expert is a member of several professional organizations including SHAPE America - Society of Health and Physical Educators, Sport and Recreation Law Association, and the National Recreation and Park Association. He has received the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association All American award. Currently this expert teaches a graduate level course on risk management in physical education and sports and is a professor and academic chair of physical education at a community college. He earned his BS and MS in Physical Education at the State University of New York College at Cortland.