Should Elite Forces Training be Used in High School Sports?

MAJ Montgomery Granger — Sun, 13 Aug 2017 11:05:56 -0400

Very recently in my community there was a tragedy on the high school gridiron. A 16 year old high school junior, attending an off season football strength and conditioning camp, was struck in the head while participating in a Navy SEAL-like teamwork, strength and endurance drill with a 10 foot long "telephone pole" type wooden log.

There are few specific details publicly available, only that it happened while five boys, including the victim, were participating in the drill and that the victim was said to be in the middle of the group and the boys were raising the log over their heads. Was the grass wet? Did the boys lose their grip?

In any case, the boy was struck in the head during the morning workout. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital. The same hospital where all five of my children were born, now ages 21 - 8.

"Can you imagine," my wife said after learning of the tragedy, "dropping your child off in the morning at a place you would think he would be safe, and then getting a telephone call that he had died?" I cannot.

This part of Long Island is no stranger to high school football fatalities. Less than three years ago another young man, who was playing in a local regular season high school football game collided with an opponent, head on, collapsed and then died from his head injury.

As a former football player and athletic administrator, I can tell you that head injuries and injuries in general are a painful reminder that we can never be "too safe." I remember vividly a rainy night football game played on natural turf, where the field conditions were less than desirable, and within five minutes of each other two players were removed from the field with broken bones. It happens that quick, and without warning.

But there is something different about this fatal injury.

U.S. Navy SEAL training techniques have become more and more popular as slowly over the past several years, the Navy SEALs have become more and more demystified through movies and books that take us inside the elite group's training and performance methods.

The Log Drill is a series of physically, mentally and emotionally challenging maneuvers in which a team of about five men perform these drills with a log weighing approximately 250 pounds. If everybody does their share, that's 50 pounds each.

When was the last time you lifted 50 pounds over your head? Could you lift 50 pounds over your head? Why would you lift 50 pounds over your head? What part of playing football requires a player to lift 50 pounds over his head?

Yes, these are strapping young men, strong, with endurance and fortitude, being taught how to work as a team, the hard way.

As an athletic administrator for public school programs on Long Island, I emphasized to coaches that the student athletes who chose to participate in their programs did so because they enjoyed playing the sport. I told the coaches that it was vital to remember that their student athletes were kids and not adults, no matter how much like men they looked, and not to treat them like college or professional athletes. It would have never occurred to me to tell them not to treat them like elite warriors.

I encouraged my coaches to study child psychology and to employ those principles in their coaching style. I encouraged my coaches to "Always make practice fun." "End each practice with a fun activity, so that they go home happy and wanting more, and feeling good about themselves." Drill and kill makes for unhappy players.

In the professions of physical education and athletic coaching safety must always be the first consideration. Physical educators are trained to always inspect the gym or teaching space and the supplies and equipment to be used prior to teaching their lesson. Good coaches do the same. But at what point does common sense kick in? At what point do you say to yourself, "Gee, I wonder what would happen if one, just one of these boys slipped and the 250 pound log came crashing down one of their heads?"

We call what happened a "tragedy" because it is a classic example of what a tragedy is. Some call it a "tragic accident." Some will call it negligent. And that will be for the police and lawyers to figure out. But those of us with military experience (I served 22 years in the Army, as an enlisted Combat Medic and then as a Medical Service Corps officer) know that a dead soldier is an ineffective soldier. So we teach and train safety first, especially out of the combat zone. In the combat zone, we say "Mission First, Safety Always!"

As soldiers, we knew what we did was inherently dangerous, and could cost us our life, limb or eyesight. But in a civilian setting, where children are involved and looking up to and trusting the adults around them who are legally in loco parentis ("In place of the parent"), to keep them safe and healthy as a parent would, my opinion is that there is never an excuse for potentially putting their life at risk for the purpose of team building, conditioning or any other reason. Nothing we do as adults responsible for the health, safety and welfare of a child should ever potentially cost them their life.

We are deceived by the size and athleticism of today's young student athletes. We forget that our public school interscholastic education programs are just that, interscholastic education, and not life or death scenarios.

Coaching egos and over training have taken the place of always doing what's in the best interest of the student athlete. We allow false dreams of college and professional success and fame to cloud better judgement as more and more youth's who participate in athletics are tracked to one sport over another, with year round training and travel leagues. Less than 1 percent of high school athletes ever play on a college scholarship. Less than 1 percent of college players ever play in the pros. And the average career in the pros lasts only from 3-5 years.

Football is the modern equivalent of war in the minds of some. We "Fight, fight, fight!" "Kill, kill, kill!" "Rip 'em apart!" Believe me, when General George S. Patton, in a speech to his troops during WWII implored his men to grease the wheels of their tanks with the guts of the enemy, he wasn't talking to teenagers preparing to play a game.

The rhetoric and techniques used by youth coaches need to be developmentally appropriate. I've had coaches disciplined for inappropriate language, tobacco use and other behavior detrimental to the proper development of young student athletes, yet on any given day you could walk through even a youth league practice and shouldn't be surprised the hear things that would make your mother blush.

Foul language and Navy SEAL drills don't grow hair on the chests of young men. Using fun cooperative games, sports and activities leads to better teamwork and leadership skills than making them put a 250 pound log over their heads.

Youth leaders need to work smarter and not harder. Even the pros are reconsidering bulk work outs in favor of resistance training. Lean core fitness, speed and quickness drills, push-ups and sit-ups yield a far healthier and effective student athlete than over-working bodies and muscles to the point of musculoskeletal failure or injury. Form is more important than weight. When the body is tired and fatigued it is most susceptible to injury. Why didn't these "coaches" know this?

Last few points. In a local front page news article about this tragedy, public school athletics officials were quoted as saying there was "only one out of season practice rule" for interscholastic student athletes, that they not be forced to participate in out of season activities. That is in fact only half of the regulation. The other half is that out of season workouts need to be open to anyone.

This is from the New York State Public High Schools Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA), Inc., Bylaws and Eligibility Standards, page 130, Section 22. (NYSPHSAA is to governing body of New York State public high school athletics and is affiliated with the National Federation of State High School Athletic Associations (NFHS); the local governing body in Suffolk County, New York, where the tragedy occurred, and which answers to the state association is Section IX).

"c. School sponsored activities conducted out of the sport season such as general
conditioning, weight training, weight lifting, intramurals, recreation, open gyms, club
activities and camps are permitted: 1) if such programs are not mandated by coaches or
school personnel; 2) if such programs are available to all students.
"d. Non-school sponsored activities are permitted if such programs are not mandated by
coaches or school personnel. It is recommended that no school equipment be used for
these programs as per State Comptroller Opinion 85-37."

(Corrected from 8/12/17 version.) So a "non-school sponsored activity" (the strength and conditioning camp that contributed to the death of the 16 year old) can be mandated through a booster club, by non-affiliated coaches and trainers - just not the actual team coaches.

This off season work out had nothing to do with the school district's official activities. The booster club sponsored the activity. According to the article, each boy had to pay $325 for the camp. Since it was "non-curricular" the state law (New York State Commissioner's Regulation 135, Guidelines for the Coaching Requirements, pp. 48-73) requiring coaching certifications for anyone working with the student athletes in a scholastic setting didn't apply. There could be any nut case working with these boys who were hired by the booster club. And oh, by the way, the bulk of that $325 went to salaries for these fitness and conditioning "specialists." These things you won't find in the article.

Public school districts need to take a hard look at what activities they allow on their premises, and booster clubs need to hire licensed teachers and coaches for their extra season camps if they are going to use school facilities.

After this tragedy, if this was the case, there is no excuse for allowing non-certified coaches/trainers to work with public school student athletes, ever. If a parent wants to seek out a "professional" trainer for their child on their own, that's their business, but for public schools to allow and facilitate it is unconscionable. If a "trainer's" only qualification is that they were a Navy SEAL, or college or professional athlete, an alumni perhaps with no other proper coaching qualifications or certifications, take a pass. No disrespect intended.

Intentions aside, without the proper training and coaching style, it's only a matter of time before tragedy or negligence strikes again.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 13 at 2017 12:57 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 13 Aug 2017 12:57:51 -0400

Common sense. No, if someone doesn't have a coaching license or experience, they shouldn't be a coach.

This is the biggest failing in the current physical fitness training program for the Army as well. We've built up that everyone is a leader, and every leader should be able to lead fitness training...laughably untrue. We've built up that anyone in good shape is also a good coach-- forgetting that the vast majority of professional athletes don't coach, and most coaches aren't athletes.

It's not a matter of "elite" of any of the other buzzwords (mostly) SEAL's have used to make a brand for themselves...a workout is a workout. And when you have unqualified, unlicensed people leading -anything-...well, there you go.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 13 at 2017 1:16 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 13 Aug 2017 13:16:16 -0400

This was the stupidest idea anyone at that camp had. Most grown men can't even do those drills. So why would anyone think some teenage boys could do it? What was the point? There are better drills that are safer to do for teamwork and strength building.

Response by SSG Matt Murphy made Aug 13 at 2017 1:35 PM

SSG Matt Murphy — Sun, 13 Aug 2017 13:35:04 -0400

No.

Response by SGT Kevin Berman made Aug 13 at 2017 1:39 PM

SGT Kevin Berman — Sun, 13 Aug 2017 13:39:17 -0400

I think until all the details are out, we ought to relax - I don't think it is confirmed that the log weighed 250lbs, or something less. I didn't see any name associated with the 'training staff', so can't tell if the trainers were certified.
My son has participated in this type of strength training for football the last 3 years - at least the trainers were from a local cross fit gym that we knew and all had certifications.

Accidents happen - unless the investigation finds neglect, that's all it is.

BTW - the log drill is not exclusive to SEAL training. The log pit at SFAS was an experience I'll never forget.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 13 at 2017 5:14 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 13 Aug 2017 17:14:32 -0400

The way I see it, it wasn't special forces training—it was high school football camp training with a log. My scrawny boot camp ass did log exercises weighing a buck forty-five, so I'm sure those kids are more than capable as well. The only difference is that our hats told us not to drop the log on our heads.

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 13 at 2017 7:28 PM

SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 13 Aug 2017 19:28:54 -0400

IMHO, I think there was a serious lack of risk analysis and risk mitigation here, coupled with the "coach" chasing that idea that his workout is the toughest, most "Hooah" one going, all for bragging rights.

This is why, in the Army, we have Risk Assessments. This is also why we end up having dumb rules (no organized sports during PT hours) and dumb safety briefs.

Response by SPC Todd Rhoades made Aug 15 at 2017 7:49 PM

SPC Todd Rhoades — Tue, 15 Aug 2017 19:49:24 -0400

In philosophy, it's good conditioning, in reality, there should have been fail safes in place. Head gear, log suspended high enough to not crush anyone. You could still get the benefit of the training, a team functioning as a single unit, that is the main idea behind the log drill. These kids are just that, someone's children, still in school and living at home. They can't be compared to cruits in any measure even though there is only a couple years difference in age. Actually it seems anymore, we have more safety measures on a job site ( OSHA ) than we do concerning our children in sports.

Response by Lt Col Daniel McNally made Aug 15 at 2017 11:23 PM

Lt Col Daniel McNally — Tue, 15 Aug 2017 23:23:29 -0400

Response by Erin Nelson made Aug 16 at 2017 3:22 PM

Erin Nelson — Wed, 16 Aug 2017 15:22:26 -0400

I would be highly surprised if any individual 5aking children through such drills have themselves ever completed such drills or served in combat, choosing the mexican meaning instead of the infered in place of i would say loco was indeed a correct adjective for one taking 14 15 yr old boys through drills meant for military men of a specialist capacity.

Response by SPC Erich Guenther made Aug 16 at 2017 3:29 PM

SPC Erich Guenther — Wed, 16 Aug 2017 15:29:08 -0400

I would say the Military needs to stay completely out of Public High Schools except for Recruiting and possibly JROTC. Everything else needs to wait until post High School, in my opinion. I would also rate telephone pole PT under hazing vs PT, I felt it was one of the dumbest things I ever did in the Army and still feel that way today.

Response by Cpl Nicholas Johnson made Aug 16 at 2017 11:54 PM

Cpl Nicholas Johnson — Wed, 16 Aug 2017 23:54:03 -0400

I generally don't like the concept of 'rules' being placed as placeholders for 'common sense'. Let's be honest here, properly executed training regimens that bear in mind the strength and abilities of the people you are training can be extremely effective. Ignorant people trying to execute training the way they 'think' it is done can be extremely dangerous. Could a 250 lb log be lifted by a bunch of high school football players who were properly trained to work in Unison and monitored for risks by someone who knows how to execute that training? Absolutely. Does it have 'some' benefits over other exercises? Sure it does. Is it necessarily the MOST efficient approach? Probably not, but the majority of training isn't the MOST efficient approach as variety breeds curiosity thus holding attention.

At the end of the day, negligence should be judged on the individual level, and not result in broad rules that limit the tools at the disposal of competent individuals. Instead of raising the rules, limitations, and standards of what can be done, raise the standards for how qualified you need to be to work in that position, and a general expectation of safety and good training. Liability waivers exist for this sort of thing for a reason, and sometimes the risk is necessary for gains, and a well-trained person can weigh the costs against the benefits. Why the need for micro-managed regulation?

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 17 at 2017 7:23 AM

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 17 Aug 2017 07:23:24 -0400

My 17 yr old daughter participated in the log lift at USNA during a recent summer seminar. They were eight deep per log. Shorter people were in the middle. I must say that with proper supervision and proper planning, this exercise can improve teamwork, physical conditioning, and self confidence. In my opinion, two things that could have been to minimize risk: more football players per log; the wearing of football helmets to protect from trauma to the head. It is NOT a special forces event. That comment is silly.

Response by SFC Timothy Dingman made Aug 18 at 2017 7:15 PM

SFC Timothy Dingman — Fri, 18 Aug 2017 19:15:30 -0400

What? No! We already have kids shooting up schools: the last thing we need is young special killers on the sports field.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 19 at 2017 1:21 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 19 Aug 2017 01:21:27 -0400

This article is a joke right? I mean lifting 50lbs over your head is not a miracle feat of strength. In fact, it is something even a sub-average physically mature male can do...and yes a 16 year old boy is physically mature. Billions of people in the world lift 50lbs over their head without any issue. It is safe to say millions have done log PT. The number of people who have died from log PT is less than the number of high school kids who have died from head trauma playing football. Under your logic, we should ban football because it is the real danger here.

I mean lets get serious here. If we are going to call something dangerous because one kid dies, and use that as the grounds to ban it then lets see what else we should ban. We should ban swimming...I mean my God...how many kids die every year swimming and Navy SEALS swim right? How about anything involving a motor vehicle...SEALS drive for training right? Kids get hit crossing intersections...as part of SEAL training, SEALS are occasionally required to cross intersections. What about eating? How many kids choke to death eating? SEALS eat food as part of their training program so we should ban that too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fISgKl8dB3M

The Motivation Factor - Physical Education in schools in 1960's - #JFKChallenge

PE 50 years ago...compare to today! Full 90 documentary feature film will play in select theaters Summer 2017 and will have a Cable, Satellite (VOD/PPV) and ...

Response by Cpl Thomas Kifer made Aug 27 at 2017 11:04 PM

Cpl Thomas Kifer — Sun, 27 Aug 2017 23:04:57 -0400

This is a multi level screw up. From everyone involved in the program from it's inception. Just because I as well as 100's of thousands of soldiers and Marines have done these drills and obstacle courses, without understand the psychology and purpose of these drills, this program should never have taken place. I happen to have experience in all aspects of this type of conditioning and training and will tell you it didn't have to be a telephone pole. It could easily have been an 8"-10" diameter canvas cover foam cylinder 10' long. Its not the actual weight. It's the illusionary preceived weight and training that encompasses pulling ones own weight for the success of the team. If they were asked to hold it over their heads long enough, a aluminum baseball bat would be grueling weight. The architects of this course failed to understand its purpose. While doing the confidence course, there's a tendency to push for time. As if at 0 dark thirty you had to make it to your LZ and time was crucial. What they don't tell you, is the high marks you get for falling back and help your Buddy complete the course. Its all about team work, not just strength conditioning.

Response by Chef Benson K Saenger made Sep 29 at 2017 1:49 PM

Chef Benson K Saenger — Fri, 29 Sep 2017 13:49:28 -0400

Absolutely. The familial household is torn apart by sissy laws so parents cannot discipline their children. Its difficult to teach reasoning and accountability with child services breathing down every parents neck. This training will help enable and reinforce parents authority on the familial household. The special forces training will teach and groom all the good qualities of disciplined and focused Amercian morals.

Response by MSG Danny Mathers made Mar 7 at 2018 10:45 AM

MSG Danny Mathers — Wed, 07 Mar 2018 10:45:37 -0500

Elite forces training should not be used in schools. Elite personnel training methods are used in the selection process to weed out candidates not strength development. Sport training in schools should be focused on safety not selection.

Response by LtCol Robert Quinter made Mar 20 at 2019 9:05 PM

LtCol Robert Quinter — Wed, 20 Mar 2019 21:05:09 -0400

What is "Elite Forces Training"? Physical training techniques are not military just because they are used in a military training syllabus or conditioning program. The key to whether they are used either in a school environment, or in a commercially available program, which this appears to have been, is dependent upon three factors: does the exercise or drill fill a need in the sport or syllabus, is the proper equipment or environment available, is the person in charge properly trained?
There is no training used in the military designed to kill the trainee, but some training demands the supervisor be aware of specific techniques that are required to minimize the potential for injury of the participants.
In the case you describe the booster club sponsors should have investigated the program in addition to reading the advertising literature and made sure the persons providing the training were fully trained. The athletic director should have conducted his/her own investigation and the school administrators should have interviewed both the booster club principles, the conductors of the course and the athletic director to satisfy themselves that all had been done to ensure the safety of all concerned.
Nothing is 100% safe, but appropriate planning can minimize the danger....just as is done in the military.

Response by CPL Sheila Lewis made Sep 4 at 2019 9:13 AM

CPL Sheila Lewis — Wed, 04 Sep 2019 09:13:31 -0400

No.