Monday's arraignment of high-school football coach in Kentucky on a charge of reckless homicide in the heat-exhaustion death of one of his players evoked strong feelings from some area coaches.
Jason Stinson, the coach at Pleasure Ridge Park High in Louisville, was charged in the death of offensive lineman Max Gilpin, who collapsed at practice last Aug. 20 and died three days later at the age of 15. Stinson has pleaded not guilty.
"Scary," Coach Adrian Snow of West Forsyth said. "I have been told that there was a lack of a water break, and it was 107 (degrees), but that's all hearsay. No one in their right mind wants to see someone perish on their watch.
"It's uncomfortable. We have a tough enough job as it is. And now you have to remember every time you make a decision, will there be a lawsuit? That hits everybody. That doesn't just hit Forsyth County. It hits everybody."
According to The Associated Press, Gilpin's death certificate shows that Gilpin died of septic shock, multiple organ failure and complications from heatstroke, three days after working out for two to three hours in temperatures that felt like 94 degrees. No autopsy was conducted. Authorities said that Gilpin's body temperature was 107 degrees when Gilpin reached the hospital.
Prosecutors have declined to say why they chose Stinson in what is believed to be an unprecedented case of criminally charging a coach in a player's heat-related death, the AP reported.
Coach Dick Cline of Glenn said he didn't know the circumstances well enough to assess whether Stinson was negligent.
"I feel for the kid's family, and the coach and his family, the community," Cline said. "It's devastating. What little I have seen on TV, you see support for the coach and his family. I don't know the circumstances. It's hard to say he is in the wrong if you don't know all the facts.
"Could it happen to anybody? Absolutely. You don't know how far you can push a kid sometimes. When he passes a physical, you would think a doctor is saying his health is good enough to withstand hard practices."
Coach Dee Bell of Parkland called it a terrible situation and said he felt for Gilpin's parents. Bell also said he didn't think the charges would stick.
"I think its bad even seeing the homicide word in there when it's not an intentional thing," Bell said. "In this state, we won't be practicing in that heat, so the state of Kentucky needs to take care of it that way.
"I know it wasn't an intentional thing, and I know he suffered enough when that player died on him. You take a kid through practice, you push them. We all do. You tell them to suck it up sometimes, and you push them the extra little bit. But that heat and humidity, I know Parkland wouldn't have even been practicing in it. No one here would have."
Jeff Gilpin and Michele Crocket, the player's divorced parents, have jointly sued Stinson's coaching staff, accusing them of negligence and "reckless disregard."
■ Mason Linker can be reached at 727-7324 or at mlinker@wsjournal.com.
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