Defibrillator Saves Life

  Matthew Keene, a 17-year-old high school student, collapsed during football practice in New Hampshire.   Keene suffered sudden cardiac arrest, was not breathing, and had no pulse.  Coaches and athletic trainers immediately performed CPR and shocked his heart into beating with a portable defibrillator.  The quick response led to Keene's survival and recovery and he now is leading a campaign to provide AED's in every school.  Keene realizes that he was given a second chance to live. He said, "I don't want to hear (that) this happen(ed) to anyone and (that) they (did) not survive."  Keene competed as a football lineman, a baseball catcher, and as a hockey goalie. He is an inspiration to everyone.
News-Sentinel, Knoxville, TN, November 25, 2006

Facility Not Liable for Man's Death

  A player suffered cardiac arrest during a basketball game at a facility known as Basketball City, a gym in Manhattan's Chelsea Park in New York City.  The player's family sued the facility claimng it lacked medical personnel and resuscitation equipment.
  The defense counsel argued that the player's death was unforeseeable and that the facility was not required to retain emergency medical providers or emergency equipment.  The trial judge agreed and dismissed the case against the facility.
Colon v. Chelsea Piers Managment, Inc. No. 2079 1st (Kings Supreme Court, NY), 2006

Background Screening to be Required for Youth Sports Officials

  Background checks are now required in Alamance County, NC for all persons who want to officiate youth and adult sports events.  The rule was adopted for all officials after the county foudnt that a convicted felon had officated several games during the summer of 2006.
Referee, February, 2007.

Youth Coaches Charged with Endangerment

  Two young football coaches were arrested in Danbury, Connecticut for allegedly giving seven-to-thirteen-year-old players diuretic pills to get them to lose weight.  The two assistant coaches of the Danbury Athletic Youth Organization's Trojan football team were dismissed after a parent complained about their rigorous training program in which five boys were participating in a 24-hour training session.
  Police reported that the coaches were arrested on a charge of felony child endangerment which is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.00
 MSNBC, February, 2007

8th Grader Will Refuse to Wrestle a Girl

  Brian Walsh, an eighth grade student a Loudonville Christian School in New York, is a top seed in the 103 pound division of the state wrestling championship.  Walsh may face a girl wrestler during the competition.  Walsh's father is the wrestling coach who supports his son's plan to forfeit his match if he is scheduled to face a girl. This will cause him to end his run for the state title.  Brian's father said "wrestling is about physical domination and that's contrary to how we're raising our son."
News and Record, Greensboro, NC, February 15, 2007