Incident in Orlando

[lt.wolf]

Our thoughts are with North Orlando

There was an incident with North Orlando Rowing last night middle schoolers on the water and lightning strike capsized the boat, one is hospitalized and another is still missing, the news story has already made it to CNN, the club could use thoughts and prayers from the whole rowing community right now

[Cowbells123]

https://www.wesh.com/article/orlando-ro ... d/41263671

Missing child’s body found. Very tragic.

[crewu]

Horrific tragedy.

Here's a look at the weather radar on the day:
1.) 4:30pm the crews launched (according to media report)

2.) 4:45pm thunderstorm is less than 10 miles away.

3.) 5:00pm - second stronger storm incoming 12 miles away.

[crewu]

4.) 5:15PM storms have erupted in all directions surrounding the lake

5.) 5:30pm - all storms have merged into a horror show.

6.) 5:50pm - this is the time that the middle school crew was reported to be struck by lightning and capsized.

[crewu]

Other than being inside a car or a grounded building, there was no safe place to be either on shore or on the water during that storm.

[fullmetal]

I can't believe they post their coaches' phone numbers online (I have redacted here). But as far as coaching oversight and expertise goes, these are the responsible parties. In particular, I am astounded that any head coach would allow his subordinate coaches to take a middle school crew out with storms in such close proximity.

[rowing]

Wow. It's almost like you believe that rowing is professionally organized and administered.

Duct tape dreams, laddie!

[Rowcoach]

Crazy.

Here in Gauteng RSA we have permanent lightning detectors at all of our rowing venues. Lightning at 20km and a siren/strobe sounds and it compulsory off the water. In addition all coaches have a lightning app on their phone. If that warns of a strike within 20km even if the venue siren hasnt gone off they will take their crews off the water.

Nobody goes back on the water until there hasnt been a strike within 20km for more than 30min and the siren sounds an all clear.

[crewu]

A huge part of the rowing community runs on a wild west mentality. Young coaches with little experience, little oversight of daily activities, and vague guidelines from the NGB. Unlike other high school sports, not subject to state authorities that govern sport activities.

Small poorly funded club programs - youth and collegiate - are where the biggest dangers lie. Almost every year a boat trailer rolls on a freeway some where. You can bet your money it is a club program almost every time. The drownings in recent years - again clubs. Universities provide very little oversight of club rowing activities. The students say, 'hey we follow USRowing guidelines.'

Does USRowing mandate a listed safety officer for each club or school? Shouldn't Safesport policies also recognize the more common weather related threats to rowers' welfare in addition to sexual predators? USRowing is out front with Safesport for one reason only - money. It had to show it was taking it seriously to get Olympic funding. It does a very good job with Safesport because another organization told them to do it and showed them how.

Isn't it time USRowing created a coaches certification that includes real safety features? Such as exploring the use of various lightning alarms, how to read weather apps, learning the history of serious boating mishaps that could have been avoided, learning the dangers of cold water, CPR training certification, etc etc etc.

For the most part, we are an extremely unprofessionally organized and administered sport. The majority of programs probably have very good protocols in place. But we are all subject to sanctions and loss of reputation caused by the whims of a significant percentage of rowing organizations that do not.

[rowing]

You oversell the capabilities of USRowing here.

To get where you want them to be, they should have started moving on things 25 years ago.

The next best time is now.

[lt.wolf]

US rowing insurance is going to take a hit.

[fullmetal]

I thought the 30-40 min clear (no strikes) within 10 mile radius rule was well-known. Maybe rowing clubs shouldn't be putting 19 yr olds in coaching positions (safety is a tenuous, dynamic situation). We remember Kippy Liddle, among others, for this reason.

Experience alone doesn't protect you; vigilance does. Examples: https://rowsafeusa.org/accidents-2/



(quote=crewu)Isn't it time USRowing created a coaches certification that includes real safety features? Such as exploring the use of various lightning alarms, how to read weather apps, learning the history of serious boating mishaps that could have been avoided, learning the dangers of cold water, CPR training certification, etc etc etc.(/quote)

USRowing does include this training in their coaching certifications. Take a guess as to whether any of the NOR coaches were certified or passed that training to their subordinate coaches. (If any of the NOR coaches were certified, I would have expected that to be touted in their bios.)

[crewu]

I used the term certification but meant 'license' to coach. No license - your USRowing organization insurance is invalid. How do you get your license? You start the certification process (watch safety videos, etc) and get a provisional license with X amount of time to complete it.

And make it free.

[crewu]

fullmetal I really cringe at the coaches names being posted here. Anyone can look that up if they want to know. And the real responsibility for this event lies with the Board of Directors of the club.

[fullmetal]

That's fair, and it seems Wolf has preemptively done the scrubbing for me. But regardless of names, just look at the bios describing the coaches experience/qualifications.

While the board of directors bears responsibility for hiring inexperienced coaches, it is still the coach's fault for going out into the path of impending storms (as well the head coach for not setting safety/weather policies). The board certainly bears indirect responsibility here, but they didn't decide it was acceptable to send middle schoolers out to practice in a storm. Additionally, I wonder if the NOR middle school program requires the kids to pass a 100yd swim test...much less a flip drill.

Their head coach is the Florida distributor for Filippi as well as the principal/director for the non-profit that does business as North Orlando Rowing Club. He should have been on top of things.