Student Athletes Still 'At Risk' After Senate Bill 'Dies'

[MrMustang1965]

This is an 'open letter' from [deleted] Benson, father of Will Benson, the 17-year old quarterback from St. Stephen's Episcopal School in Austin, TX, who died last September from a cerebral hemorrhage following football practice in the Texas heat. It addresses Senate Bill 1952 that 'died' in committee today that would have provided for better safety requirements and prevention for high school athletes in Texas.

"This afternoon, somewhere in Texas, a young man is enjoying his first days of summer. He's excited thinking about his time off, his friends, his girlfriend, the car his parents helped him buy and college, only a
year or so off and looming larger with each passing day. Maybe he'll be lucky
enough to visit some of our nation's campuses this summer. He'll dream those
classic american dreams. He is so close to finally getting off on his own, finally becoming his own man and finally stretching those young,strong wings. However,if he could see the future, he probably wouldn't
bother, because he is going to lose his life or the use of his body before his hoped
for independence ever even starts. A loss that is absolutely PREVENTABLE.
This coming August 5th, two-a-day football practices are allowed to begin
under U.I.L. (University Interscholastic League) rules. And they'll begin under the same rules and laws that permitted the death of my son, Will, and three other fine young
Texans only last September in a terrible one week period. In its infinite wisdom, or
because of its own self-centered agenda, the U.I.L. decided to kill "Will's Bill", with a clever sneak play and the help of one single powerful chairman, and let time do its awful work for them. Both the governor and lieutenent governor supported us and even though the Senate Education Committee voted unanimously for our sports safety bill as did the entire Senate on two different occasions and the House Public Education Committee also voted to support the athletes of Texas over the singular opposition of
its chairman, representative Grusendorf, who openly admitted to opposing us on behalf of the U.I.L., time did its dirty work and we died yesterday as SB1952 died in conference committee. A conference committee that had
voted unanimously to preserve us as part of that bill, before Senate Bill 1952
died of irreconcilable differences over matters not including athlete safety. We were part of that bill. Rest in peace, or maybe not. `

Who will take responsibility for this unfortunate young man, so full of hope
for his future as are his family, friends and community? It surely seems that no one directly responsible for his well being will shoulder this burden, because by their actions or inactions they will still allow
his destruction. Maybe they are just too busy to worry about it. I guess they
saved themselves the trouble of actually having to learn emergency first
aid, they also killed the chance the athletes themselves would learn to
recognize serious injuries themselves even if no one else does. They don't
have to worry about implementing those troublesome emergency action plans,
keeping emergency lanes open or having the team doctor go to the trouble of
learning emergency medical procedures when most of those doctors actually
have no training of this kind, being orthopedic surgeons, general practitioners or even psychiatrists. Of course, now the families and athletes won't be apprised of the actual risks of sport either because the
U.I.L. won't be required to issue the "risk disclosure report" to the athletes and their families that Will's Bill required. Nearly ALL football players will suffer one or more concussions in their four years of play (at the high school level). Maybe that's why Johnny didn't quite make it into the school of his choice,even though his early scores and grades were so promising, since concussions can create serious, mounting and permanent intellectual deficits. The
U.I.L. was particularly concerned about this requirement of Will's Bill. They
wondered aloud if everybody would play, once they really knew the facts.
But, I know there are at least a few of us willing to take responsibility
for our relaxed and happy, for now anyway, young Texas athlete and others
like him. Maybe, just maybe, we can still save him. He'll never know why he is safer or that his life was one that was saved, but we can take prideknowing it was us who actually succeeded in saving that young life
and many others over the years to come of both genders, all races, all economic
stations and every region and school district. They will all be helped
equally if Will's Bill can still become law. Schools, coaches, team doctors have one overriding responsibility above ALL others. Get the kids home safe and sound every single day! They failed my son, don't let them fail your son or daughter. Join us in asking Governor Rick Perry to add student
athlete safety to his impending call for a special session. If saving the life of
our young man, and many others like him over the years, isn't worth the trouble in itself, what is?

Please fax, call, write or e-mail Governor Rick Perry's office to include us
in the work of the special session. Fax or letter is the best method.
Fax to the governor at 512-463-1849 or write to him at P.O. Box 12428,
Austin, Texas 78711, e-mail him at <A HREF="http://www.governor.state.tx.us" TARGET=_blank>www.governor.state.tx.us</A>
<www.governor.state.tx.us> . If you want to call him, his office number is 512-463-2000. Please use one or more of these methods, if you have time, and encourage your friends to do the same. Please forward this letter to anyone you know who might help.

Summer practice is only a few weeks away, and we have to get a law into place and start the job of raising the awareness immediately of all involved. If sports safety can be included in the special session, I personally guarantee no sneak play, or anything else, will stop us
this time."

Signed, [deleted] Benson

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"Winning ain't everything...but it's a lot more fun than the alternative!" S.M.U. SPIRIT: IT STARTS NOW!

[This message has been edited by MrMustang1965 (edited 06-03-2003).]