[ad_1]
It is unclear whether two sports coaches from the University of Maryland will follow football coach DJ Durkin in the wake of the death of 19-year-old offensive lineman Jordan McNair.
Sports coach Wes Robinson and athletic coach Steve Nordwall have been on administrative leave since August. An investigation into the day McNair suffered heat stroke revealed that athletics staff had made many mistakes, including not plunging McNair into cold water, which experts say could have saved him. life and which conforms to best practices.
Many high-level staffing decisions were announced this week as a result of recommendations from the University of Maryland Board of Directors. Durkin, who has been on administrative leave since August, was reinstated for one day before university president Wallace Loh defied the board and did not fire him Wednesday night.
Loh announced Tuesday his intention to retire at the end of the year. Sports Director Damon Evans is expected to remain at his position, as recommended by the Regents.
A spokeswoman for the university said she could not comment on staff decisions.
"The trainers put on administrative leave continue to be," said spokeswoman Katie Lawson.
The Washington Post reported that the Board of Regents had recommended that the university retain Nordwall and Robinson.
A source close to the situation told The Baltimore Sun that she could not confirm if the University would follow this recommendation.
Loh was asked about the status of the trainers at Tuesday's press conference. He said decisions on sports department staff are made by the director.
After McNair's death, an investigation was opened May 29 to review the procedures and protocols of the sports department – the day the teenager suffered heat stroke during an outdoor exercise at College Park.
This report, led by Dr. Rod Walters, a sports medicine consultant, revealed that it was more than an hour between the time McNair started displaying the first symptoms of heatstroke and the moment when the university officials had called 911. the configuration of the field in Maryland, they were not there on May 29, because the practice of football changed place at the last minute .
The Walters report also included interviews with anonymous players describing McNair's final practice. One player said Robinson shouted through the field to say: [expletive] Another student stated that McNair could barely stand up, but that he was "back" to the exercises, a reflection of the coaches' "non-abandonment mentality". A third player echoed the fact that Robinson had asked McNair field. "
A second survey was then commissioned to examine the football team's culture following media reports describing a "toxic" atmosphere within the program. His final report, compiled by an independent eight-person commission, includes interviews with several players and parents who expressed frustration at the way the injuries were handled by the coaches. One player said anonymously: "Under Durkin, you were not allowed to hurt yourself. … You were hurt only if you could not walk. "
Other anonymous athletes said Robinson encouraged them to play despite their injuries or downplayed their pain. In an interview with members of the commission, Robinson challenged the versions of the players or said he could not call them back.
A staff member noted that some players who have been on the team for years think that Robinson has changed his style "to match the intense styles of Mr. Durkin and Mr. Court upon their arrival".
"This feeling has been picked up by some players, parents and coaches," says the report.
The report also indicated that many players had approved the treatment and treatment of injuries in athletes.
"We have received a lot of comments from players and staff, who said that Mr. Robinson was an unfair scapegoat," the report says, "dedicated to the health of the player."
The reports indicate that Robinson has been working on creating an injury database so the ministry can analyze trends and identify strategies to reduce injuries.
An assistant coach also told the commission – "with strong conviction" – that he had never witnessed an action by Robinson that "really worried him when he was in trouble. it was to take care of the players ".
The report also revealed that there was "discord" between Nordwall and the people it oversaw, as well as tensions with Nordwall's supervisor. He ended up being "effectively unsupervised for an extended period of time," according to the report.
Contacted by phone, Nordwall hung up when he learned that it was an online reporter.
[ad_2]
Source link
