Teen Athlete Claims She Was Benched for Pregnancy

Hunny, your pregnant. The coach or your mom didn't make you have unprotected sex. You have 9 months to do EVERYTHING you can to ensure the best possible begining for your child. Why in the hell would be endangering your child's life a part of your plan? Just because you want to pretend your not pregnant doesn't mean everyone is ok with that. Stop Being SELFISH and DO what is BEST for your BABY! The whole interview is i, i, i, i, me, me, me....what about the child your putting at risk? It just proves how immature you are and how your mom just wants someone else to blame but her daughter.

Nevertheless, with or without a MD note, the school has the right to restrict her physical activity - even for her own good. I played high school volley and the movements are anything but predictable. Sometimes you hit the floor, or other players, and you HAVE to jump several times throughout the game. Bottom line, she is pregnant - rigourous exercise isn't recommended - I worked until my last month as a waitress - it was lots of walking. My OB said that was ok, because it wasn't rigorous exercise - on a volleyball team it can be rigorous. And what if she had a miscarriage or complications during a game or practice? Then the school would be liable for putting her in that position. This girl needs to grow up quickly. This is no longer about HER, it's about her unborn child. That (and her 'christian' faith) should compel her to do what is best for the baby.

This coach was totally out of line. Keeping up an acivity that the body is accustomed to up to a certain point during pregnancy is perfectly safe. And no one seems to realize that volleyball is NOT a contact sport, it's not like she was being tackled. She is young and healthy and used to the exercise, her doctor knew that, and the coach is just some sexist half wit that thinks we should all stop being human when we are expecting and just be walking incubation chambers. Plus he had NO right to tell ANYONE about her pregnancy, that IS in the law books.

He violated her HIPPA rights when he disclosed her medical condition to others. I really don't see what the purpose was of telling others.

It would be highly unusual if the school does not require student athletes or their parents to sign a contract waiving their legal right to sue the school for any injuries resulting from participation in school sports. While I cannot say for certain the teen in this article and/or her parents did sign such a form, it is very likely they have. Therefore, the teen would not be able to "sue the pants off" the coach or they school if she lost the baby as a result of participating in volleyball. (Also, I had a friend in volleyball who played well into her 6th month, and her doctor said she was actually the healthiest mom he'd seen and commended her fr staying active and in shape during her pregnancy). Even if she did not sign such a form, the note from the doctor would be strong evidence before a jury in the court of law that the coach/school was not neligent in allowing her to play. There's just no way the school would be held liable, so I cannot buy "her safety" as a viable excuse for benching her. I cannot say whether the coach acted out of spite, judgement, or ignorance, but in any case he was just plain worng. If she is performing like a starter, let her start. If she starts playing poorly, then, and only then, does he have the right to,replace her.

Jen says it right. The Coach handled it wrong!

But what if another student had a collision that caused her to lose the baby - how would they feel now??

First, one must consider what "school policy guidelines" the coach follow when he benched her? Second, upon returning with a doctor's note which may seemed to have included no restrictions at this point, then the athlete should have been allowed to return to her position. Third, the school district, coach, and athletic director may be held liable for violation of privacy. There wasn't any reason that the coach should have shared private information. Finally, how many collegiate and professional women athletes compete when they're pregnant? Several!! I beleive that this situation could have been handled differen

I believe the coach should have had her sign a waiver o play and not have shared her business with others wihout her permission....we know that teen pregnancy is taking place there should be preparations made in these cases that waives the school from being liable if the teen chooses to continue to play and the doctor allows this.

The Coach is wrong on two accounts. The school district is wrong. This young woman had the right to participate so long as her doctor gave her the okay.

Thde coach was wrong. I played college basketball when in the 80's when medicine was not as advanced as it is today. I was 2 months pregnant and we were in the middle of the season, I finished the season and had a geme high 27 point and 14 rebounds in the NAIA sweet 16. I delivered on August 12th and was back in the gym 3 weeks later. That was in 1984. Did I mention I continued to play pick up games until my delivery? I went into labor while playing, made my delivery easy because I reminded active. He is now a 6' 7 265 pound tightend for a tem I will not mention.

That's Baloney, and you know it! The Doctor said she was healthy and fit to play, so they would have no legal bearing against the school.
I went through the same kind of discrimination when my daughter's softball coach learned of my daughter's heart condition. Just one year previously, she Pitched an undefeated season, giving up just 10 earned runs in 21 games and was named the county player of the year and league MVP. She suffered from a common heart ailment, which she had surgery to repair during the off season. The coach never put her in the game again, for two more years..she sat on the bench...with the exception of one game in which no other pitchers were available. She pitched a no-hitter...but still...sat on the bench the rest of the two seasons.

This isn't fair. If a Doctor clears them, then it is not up to a Coach to decide for everyone, that the player will not play! It's not fair. In this case, I'm sure that it is some kind of punitive message, judging her for her accident.

It's wrong. No doubt about it!

I am a high school volleyball coach. A similar situation arose just this past season.

Though there had been rumors that a player was pregnant, we could not come right out and ask her. Since all we had to go on was rumer, we could not justify keeping her from playing either.

If she had confided in us, we would have expressed our concerns and requested a note from her doctor, as well as a waiver of liability from her parent or guardian, both in writing. Obviously the school board would have had some say in it.

The player never did approach us, and eventually decided not to play on her own.

In this case in Texas, I believe the coach violated a fundamental rule. He should never have discussed the players pregnancy with any of the other players.

I do understand the school and the coach wanting to protect themselves from a lawsuit but, with the proper documentation, I think it would have been ok. I'm not sure how far along this player was, but I've seen pregnant women do many physical activities months into their pregnancy!

That's not true at all. Her doctor said it was okay. Meaning she's probably at a stage where she can play basketball. If there was anyway the baby could be harmed at all the doctor wouldn't recommend it. Just because you are pregnant doesn't mean you are physically inactive. She hadn't blown up (got the belly) yet and she was physically fine, as most women are for the first few months. The coach should be ashamed for sharing personal information and for benching her when he obviously doesn't know shit about a women's body.

So, if you become pregos, and your boss tells you that you have to have a note in order to come back to work, is that ok? How far have we come for this coach, who is a man, tell a female, after getting it okayed by her doctor she was healthy enough to play, then bench his starter? This is very wrong and I hope they when this case. I'm not saying someone in their 3rd trimester should play a couple of games of volleyball, but if she's not showing and the doc says ok, let see what she can do. She brought a note, she really wants to play, all liability fall on her.

This persons mother should have been advocating some common sense to her child before she went and got knocked up. I suppose morons pick and choose their battles too...

the mother of this pregnant girl should have charges against her for letting her daughter play while with child. can you say reckless conduct on both parties? i think the coach and staff acted properly in safety of the girl and her baby.

I agree with Jen. The coach did what is right for the girl's health but he should not have told anyone about the girl's pregnancy.

It is always the coach or teachers responsibility to protect the girl and the school. That is not an issue. Divulging ANY personal information is a direct violation of the privacl act. She could have been 9 months and if she hadn't discussed it, he still would not have been allowed to discuss it without her permission. For that, he opened himself and the school up to violation of privacy lawsuits. Cut off his nose to spite his face.

I agree with Jen - if something happened to the baby, I bet they
would blame the coach as well. How about 'doing the right thing' and taking yourself off the team, and not making the coach take
the fall??

What baby how would she injure the baby unless she was showing could have simply had her sign a waiver if he was to protect himself and the school. In my opinion he is probably a right wing baptist who thinks it is wrong to have children at a young age guess what society says it is, couple hundred years ago twelve year old's were getting married and having children who is he to pass judgment just another tiny man in a world of billions in a universe that never ends.