Take the poll about suspending post-game handshakes. For years now, I have promoted merely tapping fists (dap) with players after games. When one considers Fall starts the cold season and that illness is spread most by hands, then shaking hands with players and coaches several dozen times a weekend is a great way to get sick.
Just think, one sick player, coach, or referee can pass a cold to over 2 dozen person in a matter of seconds. Yuk!
Can we all agree to: (1) give a cheer as a team to the opposing team; (2) wave, smile, say thanks; (3) salute, (4) walk past and give thumbs up [I said thumbs, not finger!]???
What do you think?
Just think, one sick player, coach, or referee can pass a cold to over 2 dozen person in a matter of seconds. Yuk!
Can we all agree to: (1) give a cheer as a team to the opposing team; (2) wave, smile, say thanks; (3) salute, (4) walk past and give thumbs up [I said thumbs, not finger!]???
What do you think?
Posts
2 comments:
Hey - I'll chime in.
If one was to google this, there are thousands of sites that hit this search: "soccer post game handshake h1n1"
No need for me to list them - here is a summary: Leagues, schools and colleges across the country are now enacting advisories and even prohibitions on post-game handshakes.
"According to the Centers for Disease Control, H1N1, more commonly known as swine flu, has resulted in 550 deaths, 8,800 hospitalizations and 1 million illnesses in the United States since April. The agency announced last week that of the 550 fatalities, more than 40 were children, and 80 percent of those deaths were among school-aged children (5 and older)."
Evidently this H1N1 situation is not as drastic as one would think with all the media hype. However, we'd be remiss to not carefully consider the situation as the predictions for the situation to worsen are not decreasing or wavering.
It is better to be prepared for the worse, with a plan to protect the kids & volunteers - even if the overwhelming parental and coach consensus is against it.
Here's why: If we were to ask all the parents or coaches out at Oak Mesa tonight, they'd all probably think it is over-reacting to ban the handshake - and of course,
since they have the small picture perspective - they are only worried about 7-11 kids - it is a reasonable answer. But if you think about this from the administrative level, we are
talking about the safety and well-being of a couple thousand people - your thought process changes to a different perspective.
Conclusion:
We could spend more than a few hours coming up with a new policy, documentation, procedures, emails, and web site updates to address this.
1. If we do this and the sickness does not end up being as destructive as is planned - will anyone regret the time and effort that was spent?
2. But if the other outcome is realized - and the illness does act out the worst-case scenario - I doubt no one will regret how much time they spent on prevention
and on the contrary will lament that we did not react sooner and stronger.
As a region, our answer to #1 is where it is at...
Thank you,
Mike Crandall
Very good points, Mike. I would hope that people would recognize the need to come from practicality and not from emotion.
Good sportsmanship can be displayed in many ways, other than shaking hands.
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