Personal Injury Attorney Doug Barry Talks to Virginia Coaches About Keeping Student Athletes Safe & Protecting Against Liability

Heat has been on everyone's mind in Virginia as we have experienced one of the hottest summers on record. But safety was on the mind of Allen & Allen president Doug Barry as he arrived to speak at the The Virginia Coaches Association Clinic on July 8, 2010 in Hampton Roads, VA. At the clinic, over 800 coaches, sports trainers and athletic directors were gathered together from across the state of Virginia for continuing education.  Mike Craven of True Fitness Solutions and personal injury attorney Doug Barry partnered to present The Malpractice of Football - Protect Your Players & Yourself. While Mike covered latest information on the dangers of heat, humidity and lack of aerobic fitness to student athletes, Mr. Barry discussed how protecting the students from heat related injury & death also protected the coaches and administrators from professional liability.The focus was not just limited to football coaches and trainers - the two speakers addressed concerns for all student athletes from soccer to field hockey, football to basketball.

Amazingly the number of heatstroke related deaths for student athletes had not declined significantly in the last 30 years. Mike Craven and his team set out to present new education on how to protect students from preventable heat related injury and death. New science suggests that the lack of aerobic fitness can play a critical role in a student athlete's susceptibly to heat exhaustion and stroke. And heat is not the only factor. Humidity can play a major role in the body's inability to cool down and remove heat.

Craven offered tips and suggestions to protect student athletes including testing their aerobic fitness so that training can be tailored to athletes at different fitness levels.

A former student athlete himself, personal injury attorney Doug Barry educated the audience on professional liability risks that coaches and administrators face and how they can protect themselves from gross negligence. Committing gross negligence could result in criminal and civil charges if a student athlete was injured or died from preventable heat related injuries. With the goal of keeping student athletes safe and giving back to his community by participating in education for coaches and trainers, Mr. Barry talked about the responsibility to (1) stay educated on how to prevent heat stroke and (2) take preventative and precautionary measures. The main message: Keeping student athletes safe is not only the right thing to do - but also will protect your rights. 

Related Attorneys

• Douglas A. Barry

Related Practice Areas

• Personal Injury
• Wrongful Death