I think I maimed my player!

[southpaw coach]

Last spring I was hitting grounders to my players out between second and first like I've done a million times. One ball I hit just came screaming off the bat and hit my catcher square in the knee - on the fly. Clearly she was hurt and we went and checked her out. She limped around and walked it off and finished practice. Then she went through the entire season like it never happened. I almost forgot about it.

Well she made our team again this season and I was told she started going to PT because her knee was hurting. Turned out she had an MRI and she has torn cartiledge behind her knee cap and a deep bone bruise that goes back to the ball I hit in practice last spring. She is 11. Well I felt like crap when I heard this but I thought with PT she would get better.

Now I find out that her mom told my wife today that this is always going to be a problem and there is surgery they can do but they don't want to because of her age. Supposedly physical therapy will help her reduce the pain but it will never go away completely. I can't believe her parents still even want her to play on my team but they have never expressed any angst.

Coaches I just want to tell you to be careful out there. I really didn't think I was swinging hard when it happened and she was every bit of 70 feet away.

 

[inde53546]

Sons 7-8 y/o. Little league coach playing catch w an 8 y/o throwing pretty good. Kid turns head to look at another kid coach throws ball kid turns back, thump two chiclets on the ground. Knocked his front teeth out. Parents were good basically said he should have been paying attention

 

[chinamigarden]

My wife says that it is unlikely that a ball that hits the knee would damage the cartilidge or that the bone bruise would show up half a year later on the MRI. If your hit caused the cartilidge damage she would not have been able to play the spring season without you knowing that she was hurting.

I strongly doubt this was your fault, you are just an easy target for blame. Your point is still valid, be careful with what you do you can injure a player. But I don't think you caused the damage you describe.

 

[undergroundga]

Our last year in rec league coach pitch I was hitting some easy fly balls to girls. As the drill progressed the line of girls slowly made their way towards the girl fielding. One hit had a lil more pop on it than I intended going over the fielders head into the line of girls behind her. Coincidentaly the least coordinated girl on the team was behind and her and only half paying attention. Ball popped her right on top of the head. Well, I say right on top of her head. It actually hit her on top of her sunglasses, which were on top of her head,
smashing the nose piece down into her head. She didn't cry, at first. Then a thick trickle of blood began to pour down the front of her face. No walking that off. I felt horrible.
Girl ended up with 3 stitches. I thought she was done for good but she returned a week later and is still playing. She is still very uncoordinated.

 

[maksoftball]

My wife says that it is unlikely that a ball that hits the knee would damage the cartilidge or that the bone bruise would show up half a year later on the MRI. If your hit caused the cartilidge damage she would not have been able to play the spring season without you knowing that she was hurting.

I strongly doubt this was your fault, you are just an easy target for blame. Your point is still valid, be careful with what you do you can injure a player. But I don't think you caused the damage you describe.

Agree...AND you said she was a catcher...I know a lot of catchers who have knee issues. There's a lot of pressure on the knees behind the plate.

 

[Sparky Guy]

Don't beat yourself up. It happens to every coach. From your description you weren't doing anything out of the ordinary or putting your players needlessly in a position to get injured.

It never fails when you hit a grounder a little too hard on accident and it almost always seems to find the rock or spike mark jumping up and getting a player. I've had is happen several times over the years. I did hit a player in head one time on accident. Luckily she was OK. The ball glanced off instead of a direct hit. I tell my players and parents at the initial team meeting that sooner or later they will be hit with a ball or suffer some type of being banged up during the season. It's part of the game.

I was throwing bunting before a game and a girl got hit on the fingers. It ended up breaking the tip of a finger and she needed surgery to keep from losing the nail. She had her top hand wrapped around the bat instead of doing what she was taught. I felt bad for the girl, but I did not beat myself up over it.

Over the course of a season and the thousands of reps you do with the players things will happen. Expect it and prepare for it. That is about all you can do as a coach.

 

[crystlemc]

I just have to say, when I read quickly over the main page, I swore this heading was "I married my player"...lol.

Accidents happen and are a part of playing any sport. I wouldn't be too hard on yourself.

 

[Axe]

I think this is just a fact of life, and happens to everyone. Most of us get lucky and know one gets hurt. I've had plenty of "oh crap!" moments doing team defense when I've hit what's supposed to be a fly ball and its a screaming line drive instead.