Conflicts between Head Coaches and Athletic Trainers
By Allie McDavitt
We often hear about the
risks and possible consequences athlete’s face when participating in their
sport with a concussion. It is the sports medicine staff’s responsibility to
evaluate and determine when the athlete is able to return to play after
sustaining a concussion. However, recent research has shown that many athletic
trainers feel pressure from the coaching staff to return athletes to play
faster; even if it is not in the best interest of the athlete (Wolverton,
2013). This pressure has led to athletic
trainers feeling a loss of authority when it comes to protecting their
athlete’s health and often forces them to choose between player safety and job
security. The survey done for Wolverton’s article reported more than a dozen
athletic trainers have been fired or demoted after conflicts over return to
play calls (Wolverton, 2013).
In his article, Wolverton pointed
out that many football coaches played through concussion injuries themselves and
struggle to understand and accept new concussion protocols. This stresses the
importance of not only educating athletes, but also coaches on the possible symptoms,
short-term and long-term effects of repeated concussions.
In the past, most football
athletic training staffs remained constant even through coaching changes.
However, in recent years, coaches have been given more leeway in building their
staff, including sports medicine personnel. While this has given great
opportunities to some, it has also led to athletic trainers fighting for their
jobs each time a new coach is brought in. Wolverton shares a few stories of
athletic trainers who have had disagreements with a coach and then later lose
their jobs. Though the head coach is not the one who is making those decisions
directly, it is evident they have a great impact. Guidelines have been created
to prevent athletic trainers from reporting to coaches directly.
Do you think it is okay for coaches to have an influence
over the hiring and firing of athletic trainers? Do you think there is any way
to avoid this?
Wolverton, Brad. (2013, September 2). Coach makes the
call; Athletic trainers who butt heads with coaches over concussion treatment
take career hits. The Chronicle of Higher
Education. Retireved from http://chronicle.com/article/Trainers-Butt-Heads-With/141333/
I have done some research on this same topic and have some familiarity with this article. While I understand that some coaches would prefer to have their own training staff with them throughout their careers, I think there needs to be more watchful eyes monitoring the hiring process of athletic trainers. The reason I say that is due to the fact that some coaches have preference with some trainers because of their great care and knowledge they bring with them. On the other hand, I am certain that some coaches bring trainers with them because they know they share the same “win at all cost” mentality as them. These are where the athletic department needs to have a stronger stance on filtering the hiring process to ensure there isn't a history of unethical behavior as it relates to the coaches, trainers and the handling of injuries. The key to safety is for the athletic department to take a strong stance on player safety and let that be known to the coach.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Athletic Trainer candidates should meet with the head coach as a part of the hiring process. This is should be so with all sports. Football seemingly takes a bigger stage when it comes to the hiring of a Head Athletic Trainer. The head football coach has a much bigger say in who he wants, as opposed to other sports, with Basketball usually as the exception. This is due to many factors such as, the high injury risk, number of athletes on the team, job profile, aggressive rehab./return to play.
ReplyDeleteUltimately, I do not think that the coach should have the final say in who gets the job. If the coach is the person directly responsible for hiring an Athletic Trainer then it creates a conflict of interest. When it comes down to it, the Head Athletic Trainer does not answer to the head coach when it comes to return to play. The head coach will likely voice an opinion, but it is up to the AT to decide when the player is ready to return. I think that it would be in the best interest for Athletic Departments to stay away from firing and re-hiring the position of an Athletic Trainer based on the coach’s change in position. This potentially tarnishes the image of the department, particularly if the Athletic Trainer is a reputable professional.
Matthias E. Reiber
This is a very interesting article and blog post. Though I do not relate to the feelings that an athletic trainer may have regarding this situation, I do have past experience of being a college athlete and seeing the relationships and pressures between the coaches, trainers and players. I have seen a teammate have a severe concussion as well as other injuries and I know that they are still in pain or still recovering several weeks later but a coach is insistent on having her back on the court. I can’t imagine how much pressure this puts on the athletic training staff.
ReplyDeleteFrom these experiences, I do not think that football staffs or any coach for that matter should be able to bring along and dictate who their training staff is. I agree with Allie and can sympathize with the “loss of authority.” Why hire trainers if the coach is just going to contradict their every move? Eric also makes a fantastic point about the “win at all cost” mentality that some trainers and many coaches exhibit. I see why coaches would want to stick with a trainer who is “on the same page” as the coach when it comes to winning games and the extremes they would go to do so. To address this growing problem, I believe that athletic departments need to act ethically and focus on the well being of the student-athletes to ensure that they are getting the best care available and that all precautions and recovery procedures are followed precisely to get the players healthy again.
Marissa
I feel that the Head Coaches should be involved in the hiring process of an Athletic Trainer. But, I also feel that the Head Coach should not have the final say in who is hired. It is important for the Head Coach to be involved because he or she needs to develop a good working relationship.
ReplyDeleteIn no way should the Head Coach have any say about whether that Athletic Trainer loses or keeps his or her job though. I’m not sure if there is a way to avoid the hiring process. I believe that most Athletic Directors are going to go with the Athletic Trainer candidate that the Head Coach prefers. There should be no tolerance when it comes to a coach trying to influence an athletic trainer about clearing a player to play. I do believe that it is getting better from when the response to every injury was “just shake it off”.
Most coaches do realize how serious the issue with concussions is. Players are getting bigger and faster every year. This leads to more impactful hits and collisions that take place. But in the end I feel that it should always be the Athletic Trainers call about a player going back into play. I feel like the concussion protocol has helped with a lot of issues.
In my opinion, coaches should be involved in the hiring and firing process for athletic trainers, but they should not have the only voice. When hiring and firing, there should be a panel of people which include: coaches, athletic directors, and medical personnel. Coaches should have a voice because of the daily interaction they have with athletic trainers.
ReplyDeleteIn order to help eliminate this problem, we need to better educate coaches. By educating coaches, we can work to eliminate the "rub some dirt on it" mentality. I truly feel that coaches are not educated on the risk of putting players back in before they are ready. By educating, we can have a better overall experience for all.
Overall, I feel that the problem will never be totally eliminated, but could be better if more were educated. Coaches need to be part of the hiring and firing process, but they also need to be educated enough to make a good decision.
Derek Shay