Bigfork football player who collapsed at practice dies

[Grizbacker1]

Some very sad news. The Bigfork HS FB player who had collapsed at practice and was rescued by Griz FB player Cy Murer, has died. My thoughts and prayers go out to Mr Bowman's Family, his Coaches and teammates, and the Bigfork Community.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/MT_PLAYER_COLLAPSES_MTOL-?SITE=MTKAL&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=new_dil_template.html

 

[Swillbury]

Wow........


R.I.P.

 

[Htowngriz]

Terrible. Seems like this always happens at least once this time of year. :sad:

 

[prep fan]

Possibly heart condition related. Sounds like there was still some smoke in the air possibly. Also possible that he was practicing without having gone through a physical. Whatever, its a tragic way to begin the season. Hopefully it's the last such story we hear this year.

 

[griztastic]

This does happen every year somewhere in the states. Sadly the rules governing coaching involvement in the off season are hurting more than helping. This needs to be addressed on a national level. I never have agreed with two-a-days...I don't think it helps to puke while you are getting into shape. These kids either need to be taught to stay in shape all year or practice needs to be started earlier so they have time to work themselves back into shape. I feel there needs to be someone else in charge of the health of the kids other than some nobody football coach. Get some medical staff on the field while their trying to make these kids pass out and puke. In my limited experience with Highschool level coaches....not the brightest bulbs in the batch... many don't have the knowledge to be training kids. It's just some fat dumbass who couldn't run to the other sideline without a break, being the macho man yelling and screaming, pushing these kids too far. Can't get er done with two weeks of doubles...ya just can't.

 

[Grizbacker1]

This does happen every year somewhere in the states. Sadly the rules governing coaching involvement in the off season are hurting more than helping. This needs to be addressed on a national level. I never have agreed with two-a-days...I don't think it helps to puke while you are getting into shape. These kids either need to be taught to stay in shape all year or practice needs to be started earlier so they have time to work themselves back into shape. I feel there needs to be someone else in charge of the health of the kids other than some nobody football coach. Get some medical staff on the field while their trying to make these kids pass out and puke. In my limited experience with Highschool level coaches....not the brightest bulbs in the batch... many don't have the knowledge to be training kids. It's just some fat dumbass who couldn't run to the other sideline without a break, being the macho man yelling and screaming, pushing these kids too far. Can't get er done with two weeks of doubles...ya just can't.

Don't you think you are being a little harsh on someone you don't even know. Do you really know the specifics of what happenned or what caused the poor kid's death? The physicals that these kids ar required to take are not exactly all encompassing, and are NO Guarantee that the athlete doesn't have medical issues that do not show up on a sports physical. There have been athletes at all levels, including professional that played for years not knowing they had medical issues, and literally collapsed and died on the field/courts.

 

[sid2000]

Could be a possible lawsuit with this case, as the kid didn't have a physical and was participating in practice, which is a big no-no. Very sad situation in Bigfork.

 

[grizpack]

From what I remember about high school sports physicals, unless I couldn't pee or cough, they weren't going to find anything.

This is truly sad for the family, team, school and community. My thoughts and prayers go out to them.

 

[loyalgriz]

This does happen every year somewhere in the states. Sadly the rules governing coaching involvement in the off season are hurting more than helping. This needs to be addressed on a national level. I never have agreed with two-a-days...I don't think it helps to puke while you are getting into shape. These kids either need to be taught to stay in shape all year or practice needs to be started earlier so they have time to work themselves back into shape. I feel there needs to be someone else in charge of the health of the kids other than some nobody football coach. Get some medical staff on the field while their trying to make these kids pass out and puke. In my limited experience with Highschool level coaches....not the brightest bulbs in the batch... many don't have the knowledge to be training kids. It's just some fat dumbass who couldn't run to the other sideline without a break, being the macho man yelling and screaming, pushing these kids too far. Can't get er done with two weeks of doubles...ya just can't.

This officially enters my top ten dumbest posts ever list. :finger:

 

[AtHomeInTheDahlbergDen]

This does happen every year somewhere in the states. Sadly the rules governing coaching involvement in the off season are hurting more than helping. This needs to be addressed on a national level. I never have agreed with two-a-days...I don't think it helps to puke while you are getting into shape. These kids either need to be taught to stay in shape all year or practice needs to be started earlier so they have time to work themselves back into shape. I feel there needs to be someone else in charge of the health of the kids other than some nobody football coach. Get some medical staff on the field while their trying to make these kids pass out and puke. In my limited experience with Highschool level coaches....not the brightest bulbs in the batch... many don't have the knowledge to be training kids. It's just some fat dumbass who couldn't run to the other sideline without a break, being the macho man yelling and screaming, pushing these kids too far. Can't get er done with two weeks of doubles...ya just can't.

This officially enters my top ten dumbest posts ever list. :finger:

disagree. he's right. you can never get into shape in a couple weeks. training has to take place the entire offseason to reach the desired effect.

 

[Hue]

There is only one reason to blame the coach, and this is if he was practicing with out the physical. Yes I know the physical is not the best thing out there but it is the rules.

 

[loyalgriz]

This does happen every year somewhere in the states. Sadly the rules governing coaching involvement in the off season are hurting more than helping. This needs to be addressed on a national level. I never have agreed with two-a-days...I don't think it helps to puke while you are getting into shape. These kids either need to be taught to stay in shape all year or practice needs to be started earlier so they have time to work themselves back into shape. I feel there needs to be someone else in charge of the health of the kids other than some nobody football coach. Get some medical staff on the field while their trying to make these kids pass out and puke. In my limited experience with Highschool level coaches....not the brightest bulbs in the batch... many don't have the knowledge to be training kids. It's just some fat dumbass who couldn't run to the other sideline without a break, being the macho man yelling and screaming, pushing these kids too far. Can't get er done with two weeks of doubles...ya just can't.

This officially enters my top ten dumbest posts ever list. :finger:

disagree. he's right. you can never get into shape in a couple weeks. training has to take place the entire offseason to reach the desired effect.

I doubt the coach disagrees with that small snippet. The rest of the post is insane. Suddenly all those that basically volunteer their time are idiots and trying to relive the past. It's ignorant and from somebody that most likely doesn't know any facts. To each his own.

 

[OldtiredGRiz]

Utterly heartbreaking news. One of my good friends lost his younger brother on the football field at practice and it was devastating. I don't know the facts at Bigfork, so all I can say is that my heart, thoughts and prayers go out to the family, the team, the coaches and the community.

 

[Grizbacker1]

School brings in outside investigator in football player death

BIGFORK, Mont. - The school district here is bringing in an outside investigator to look into the death of an incoming senior who collapsed while running laps during football tryouts.

"Because of differences in perception relative to the incident, we've hired an independent investigator," said Superintendent Russell Kinzer. "The stories we've heard are very consistent on some points, and not consistent on others. We need to find out exactly what happened."

Kinzer said there were varying accounts as to how quickly the coaching staff got to Jeffrey Bowman and began administering CPR.

Elizabeth Kaleva, a school law attorney from Missoula who has served as chief legal counsel for the Montana School Boards Association, will conduct the investigation.

Bowman, 17, apparently went into cardiac arrest and collapsed on Aug. 13, the first day of football practice. Temperatures were hot and the air was smoky from forest fires. He died Monday at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.

Besides the football players and coaches, some parents were in the grandstands and another group of people were playing Frisbee nearby.

"You reach a point where it's difficult to sort it all out," Kinzer said. "We need someone with that sort of experience and training to proceed with a comprehensive investigation."

Officials have said Bowman was practicing even though he had not turned in paperwork indicating he had received a physical examination by a doctor, as required by school policy.

Kinzer said players were warned not to practice if their physicals were not on file, and two sat out the first day's practices.

Another player with a last name similar to Bowman's who had turned in his physical wasn't at the practice, possibly leading to confusion on the part of the coaching staff as to who had turned in the required paperwork, Kinzer said.

Bowman transferred into the district midway through the 2006-07 school year and had not played football for the Vikings before.

Kinzer said he didn't know how long it would take Kaleva to complete her investigation, but said it could be a while, given the large number of witnesses.

"At this point," he added, "I will not be able to respond to parents' questions until the investigation is complete."

 

[griztastic]

Yes, in retrospect I was too harsh. My bad.

I still don't believe a Highschool football coach is qualified to supervise 50ish kids during two a days, making sure they are all healthy and not in danger. Sure there is no money to pay for that sort of position to insure the basic health and safety of children during an intense physically demanding training schedule.

Listen...if you want to be a football player...be a football player...make it a lifestyle thing. Coaches can't push you except during the time allowed which is IMO rediculously short. As I said before I spun out of control...The rules that dictate what a coach can and can't do as far as off season work, are working against the kid, the sport and the coach. Come in shape. And two a days should be banned in favor of a longer preseason work out schedule anyway.

It happens far too often accross the country.

Again I apologize for ranting like a loon. Those that know me here realize it's a common occurance. I chalk it up to multiple personality disorder...that's why I don't have more than one screen name...never know when it's goona hit me.