Adam Playing Contact Sports
Adam loves any sport—skateboarding, bicycle riding, golf, baseball, basketball, football, soccer, even lacrosse. He’ll watch it; he’ll coach it; he’ll plan it; he’ll play it on video games; and he’ll play it out in the yard!
At the end of eighth grade, which is the end of the middle school where we live, Adam got on the football team through the “back door.” He never had the school physical or the doctor check or anything like that. He was managing the team, and they found out he could kick. So a few phone calls were made, and I agreed as long as he followed a treatment plan and only kicked. That was all he did, and he did a great job!
The difficulties started when Adam got to high school. The high school football coaches wanted him to kick for the JV team or maybe even the varsity team. I said, “Well, first of all, you have to talk to Adam.” More importantly, we didn’t know if we could get the approval of his personal doctors, much less the school doctors. That created a whole conversation in the school system. The school physician refused to let him play and Adam was OK with this--he understood the risks involved. However, the school physician also mandated that Adam couldn’t play in field hockey, flag football, or soccer during his regular physical education program. This upset Adam greatly.
Then the athletic director got involved. He told us that Adam couldn’t participate in basketball activities either because of the possibility of physical contact. Adam had been playing basketball in a community league since 5th grade and for the school since 7th grade. In fact he had been playing all of these sports his whole life with the same kids. So, he wondered: “Why would they think I’m going to get hurt now if I’ve never been hurt before?” The response was, “Well, the kids are older. They become more aggressive.”
Adam wasn’t about to take this situation sitting down. We contacted a lawyer and got affidavits from our pediatrician and treatment centers. The resulting court order allowed Adam to participate in all general physical education classes and play extracurricular sports, including basketball and baseball. Adam never did play football again for the school. He has also decided not to play basketball this year, opting instead for indoor track. Fortunately for Adam, he loves to play baseball and is a great pitcher. He will continue to play in the community league as well as on the school’s varsity team. Someday, he hopes to be involved in baseball for his livelihood.
Before your child begins any physical activity, always consult with a doctor or Hemophilia Treatment Center to make sure the activity is right for him or her.
