In the heat of the moment

David Jason Stinson, a first-year high school football coach in Kentucky, is facing two charges stemming from the death of 15-year-old Max Gilpin, a sophomore offensive lineman who collapsed and died three days later after a particularly brutal August practice.

Stinson, who begins his trial on Monday, faces a charge of reckless homicide in a case that many observers say could be the first time a coach has faced criminal charges in a player’s on-field death. A charge of first-degree wanton endangerment was added against the coach, who pushed about 100 players to run a series of sprints known as “gassers” until someone quit the team.

According to an Associated Press story, Stinson wasn’t pleased with the team’s attitude throughout that Aug. 11, 2008 practice, and told the players to start doing the gassers, which are 200-yard sprints from sideline to sideline. Accounts and details of the incident remain a bit gray, but Stinson’s players have come to their coach’s defense. Junior defensive back Justin Agrue told a detective that the 6-2, 220-pound Gilpin never asked for water during the gassers.

“If we really needed water, Stinson would’ve let us have water. He wouldn’t have denied his water to anybody,” Agrue said.

Parents who were on an adjacent field watching a soccer game saw it differently.

“That the coach was yelling that they were going to continue to run until somebody stopped,” Kathleen Smith of Louisville told police. “That you know, who was going to be the sacrificial lamb.”

Before practice started on the south Louisville football field, Stinson took temperature and humidity readings — 94 degrees, 26 percent humidity resulting in a heat index of 94. Hot, but not quite hot enough to kick in special state-mandated measures for football practice.

Kentucky State High School Athletic Association rules require shorter practices and more water breaks when the heat index — a combination of temperature and humidity — is 95 or higher.

After he collapsed and assistant coach Steve Deacon called 911, an ambulance took Gilpin to Kosair Children’s hospital in Louisville. Within three days, he died of multiple organ failure, sepsis and heat stroke. Medical examiners opted not to perform an autopsy.

This is a tough call, because all coaches want to get the best out of their kids. Pushing them is part of the job, but where is the line? At no point did Stinson, who was charged five months after Gilpin’s deadth, break any rules or mandates as far as the heat index. And with no autopsy performed, it’s tough to say whether or not Gilpin had some kind of heart condition.

No matter the outcome of the trial — although I’d be surprised if he’s found guilty — this should be an example to all coaches for all fall sports.