Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
You may want to ask number one is this High School Football? It does not seem so per the IMO. How old are the kids would be my question? If this is anywhere I would not say that this constitutes throwing up in any child unless they just a ate and then exercised then the child needs to be educated not to do this. Are you watching the practices and seeing what goes on? If you are then you know if they are running alot which can sometimes make a child vomit. If this is the case then ask yourself did your child have a physical and just because they had does not mean that there are not medical implications to playing football as we all know. There are heart diseases that cannot be detected in a routine physical. Watch some practices see if your child is ok and if other children are not-maybe say to that parent "you may want to see how billy bob is practicing today". If the parent does not then maybe the parent needs to understand the implications when the child becomes sick from dehydration (very painful cramping, etc.)
FRONTLINE recently did a program a few months ago about the intensity of high school football. It was actually quite shocking how damaging the seemingly minor injuries can be. You can watch the whole program online: (Football High - Video | FRONTLINE | PBS)
My nephew played HS football all 4 years and he never threw up once..however there were some kids on the team that did, he stated that these were new kids or kids that were out of shape and basically sat around playing video games all summer instead of training...
However I would as a parent still ask questions regarding this to the coach...
I played 4 years of High School football. The first week or so of practice it was very common, especially down here in Miami. We would usually get a few mins off for water every 30mins or so. It is vital that the players hydrate not just right before and during practice but during the WHOLE DAY. But even with good hydration if the kids are out of shape they might throw up the first week or so if the coach pushes them hard etc.. If it contines two-three weeks into practices then maybe he his pushing them too hard.
ALSO: If you have not done so already (or anyone else with a kid playing ANY physically active sport) Go to a doctor and get a EKG and Heart Sonogram. You only need to do this once just to make sure there is nothing wrong. Too many kids are dieing from things which with these two simple test would have been known about.
Location: Visitation between Wal-Mart & Home Depot
8,309 posts, read 38,770,610 times
Reputation: 7185
Part of teambuilding and the bonding that happens between the players is the fact that they have all suffered through some sort of trial together and they have a mutual respect for one another because each kid knows the one next to him was tough enough to get through it also. I think it's actually a disservice to the kids and denigrates the value of their athletic experience (as well as the cohesion of the team) if a parent gets involved in a manner that erodes the authority of the coach and fosters suspicion, resentment and distrust between coach, players and parents.
If I had a concern about the safety of the kids, I would survey the workouts (It's okay to push kids beyond their comfort zones and subject them to extreme cardiovascular discomfort, it's not okay to push kids to the point where they are passing out... Throwing up is okay so long as it's accompanied by consciousness IMO) and talk to the coach privately to see how he addresses your concerns. I would NOT go directly to the principal or drop any "CPS bombs" as a first measure. You try to talk it out before you go nuclear...
Sadistic football coaches DO exist and they aren't always easy to spot, but it is also easy for a non-athlete to mistake a passionate, motivated (and motivating) coach who is exactly the type that you want for your kids for a sadist. Know who you're dealing with and take that into careful consideration.
Also, take note of how many kids are throwing up and what they look like. If a fifth of the team is vomiting and everyone is struggling through the workout, that's one thing, and if the three or four sloppiest kids are lagging behind the pack before they vomit that's another.
We are in Montana so the temps are not real high-It is high school football, 9th-12th, it is mandatory for all of the players to have physicals before they can even start. Based on what most of the posts, it seems normal. I assumed it was because most of the kids had not been as active during the summer. Will have to see what the rest of the season brings on. Thanks for all of your replies.
Our football coach has twice had the team run laps so fast and for such a long time that numerous (4-5) kids end up throwing up. Is this normal for the start of practice? I kind of thought that maybe the kids just weren't used to that much activity but some of the parents say not. I know I've personally exercised so hard (hiking) that I've thrown up. I only ask because my kids will be playing high school football with this coach and would like to know what other parents (outside of the realm) think.
I don't have a football player, I have a swimmer, and occasionally my son (and others on the swim team) will throw up during a practice. For my son, it's a combination of hard exercise plus contents in his stomache (when this has happened he had a too heavy snack/meal way too close to practice). If football practice is happening afterschool it is possible the kids are eating something just prior to practice, with the result being throwing up when exercising hard.
Our football coach has twice had the team run laps so fast and for such a long time that numerous (4-5) kids end up throwing up. Is this normal for the start of practice? I kind of thought that maybe the kids just weren't used to that much activity but some of the parents say not. I know I've personally exercised so hard (hiking) that I've thrown up. I only ask because my kids will be playing high school football with this coach and would like to know what other parents (outside of the realm) think.
I used to coach football and if I was today I would follow standard medical practices when coaching. Throwing up can put stomach acid in your throat which is not all that desirable. Kids will throw up when they are out of shape or they are being pushed too hard but if you are punishing them and have large groups throwing up I would be worried about the larger repercussions.
It's really hard to say. I think it depends on the reason the kids are throwing up.
Sometimes there are kids who do not come to a single voluntary workout all summer and do not work out on their own. They return to football out of shape and they puke when they get back. If that is the case then yeah-it's ok. If the coach is intentionally making kids puke then no-It's not ok. Especially if it's super hot outside.
No, it's not okay. It's understandable, but it's not okay. No matter what the reason, emesis depletes the body of valuable water and electrolytes. If a kid is injured by or dies from a severe electrolyte imbalance, it doesn't make it okay because he was lazy over the summer or spent too much time with the Big Macs.
Two good articles, one more mainstream than the other:
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
