School Bans Soccer Due to Legal Fears

In a decision that I am afraid will soon be repeated in the United States, a group of Scottish schools has banned after-school soccer programs because of potential legal liability.

Nineteen schools have introduced the ban across the county after advice from the local council. They were banned because volunteer coaches were not covered by the schools' insurance schemes for after-class games. *** The only teams to continue playing will be those coached by teachers, who are covered by council insurance.

Interscholastic sports may face a real threat, both in this country and abroad. Now that any inadvertent injury, coach's decision, imperfect facility or a host of other problems could lead to a substantial legal verdict, schools are facing tough choices about the options provided to students. Schools in one county are debating charging students for competing in athletics to cover the cost of liability insurance. Other schools may soon be forced to do the same.

This is not to say that charging students for participating in athletics is necessarily bad. After all, students often have to pay small fees to participate in other school activities. But for many students, at many schools, the fee may be the difference between playing a sport and not playing a sport. Or the money may come from funds for other important educational items, such as books or supplies. Students that do not have sports will be left with a lot of free time, which while sometimes good, can often lead to troublemaking or worse.

The solution to this problem does not readily present itself. However, those that think about sports and the law should give this issue some thought, because anyone who loves sports recognizes the importance of interscholastic competition and the need to protect it.

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