jtown

Fair enough. I will stop my griping. I hope they (the media) follows up and better explains the Recommendation and so that the public will see it was not calling for a major upset in how 2-a-days are set up. That football practices will still start at the same time, just the first week will be toned back to 1 three hour practice with a follow up 1 hour walk through. And that the recommendation was based on a collaboration between a committee of medical doctors, athletic directors, and certified athletic trainers. So not just "trainers" came up with a way to make things safer for the kids with minimal changes. And true, after sleeping on it, I realize that it was not the dumbest quote i have ever heard. Just the dumbest at the time. I will step off now. If anyone wants more information to better informed on the UIL rules regarding this visit the front page of www.nata.org or www.uil.texas.edu

My problem is the quote from Coach Hooks does not accurately address the situation as I mentioned before. I do not have a personal beef with Coach Hooks and am not getting prodded into what ever two reasons you are talking about not meeting with him to discuss his quotes. As far as coaches having first aid and cpr and kinesiology, and that is great and I work with and respect coaches for their jobs. I personally am friends with all the coaches i have ever worked with. They also know that I do not make the calls on 4th down just as it is not their job or expertise in determining the proper health care for the athletes. That is why the athletic training profession exists. You are putting words in my mouth about not thinking coaches are educated. and that is not true. Do not start something up here that is not the issue.

I wholeheartedly agree that the kids spend too much time inside during the summer. It certainly makes my job more difficult come August.

I also think that there may be some misunderstanding in the interpretation. The proposal recommends no two-a-days the first week, not no practice the first week of August. The first five days are recommended to be one practice (no longer than three hours) and can even have a walk through later in the day. This is based on statistical data that there are kids dropping the first week because they are doing too much before getting acclimatized. So the recommendation is to take the proper time to acclimatize.

I agree in that starting a week later isn't going to make the temperature any cooler.

Why yes, yes I am a certified athletic trainer. And sure I take it personally when the whole goal of our profession is to keep the kids active in a healthy manor. and to hear that quote from Coach Hooks Struck a nerve and I wanted to help educate the readers of what is up. Because for us to do our job DOES include researching ways (along with the other medical professions that were included on the committee) to keep athletes that are not from 3 generations ago healthy. Athletes that may stay inside a lot during the summer instead of tending the farm. Athletes that just may need a different kind of acclimatization than the Junction Boys did. What were the thoughts when it was suggested that we do away with spear tackling. Now that was a while back but I wonder who all said "Those trainers they need to train and we will do the coaching". The quote makes no sense because what we do IS research and collaborate with other medical professions to make things safer and healthier for the athletes. No one is telling someone how to coach or trying to do the coaching for them. That is why the quote won't make the 2009 Smartest List of Quotes.

The statement and fact sheet etc, regarding this proposal is on the front page of www.nata.org but I did read this on the statement sheet: In addition to NATA, the task force that developed the consensus statement comprises seven other groups, including American College of Sports Medicine, Gatorade Sports Science Institute, National Strength and Conditioning Association, United States Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, American Medical Society for Sports Medicine and American Academy of Pediatrics. For more information, please visit www.nata.org. So this is not something that was strummed up by some bored tape jockey that was tired of handing out water to everyone.

Seriously. What do you guys think the certified/licensed athletic trainers do? what do you think their responsibilities are?

That is about the dumbest quote I have ever heard. What does coach Hooks, who has been coaching for 29 years believe athletic trainers do and are responsible for? With degrees in sports medicine / athletic training, the responsibilities go beyond taping and providing water, which may have been the case 29 years ago. No one is telling coaches how to coach or telling athletic trainers how to properly prevent medical emergencies such as heat stroke. I believe that the proposal is for the UIL to look at and decide. Then it will be the UIL (that does regulate athletics and their policies) to tell the coaches AND the athletic trainers what is best for the athletes.