More on youth football and heat stroke

Rhonda Fincher of Rogers, Arkansas saw last week's post on Max Gilpin's death and contacted me about a loss in her family. In 1995, her son Kendrick went off to the first day of football practice. He got overheated during the workout and collapsed. Max Gilpin was 15 when he died from heatstroke last August. Kendrick Fincher was 13.

Rhonda is executive director of the Kendrick Fincher Memorial Foundation, which raises awareness about the issue.

She wrote: "I don't believe coaches go into coaching to hurt anyone. They want to help children become the best athlete they can and many of them are interested in helping that child become the best adult they can. Sadly, many of these coaches were raised in an era without air conditioning, video games, energy drinks and soda--all things, I believe, that contribute to the increase in heat related incidences of children in sports. Coaching has to be different today and parents and the athletes also need to share a role in the responsibility."