By Charles Keller
A legal case in Rockwall County, Texas, highlights serious concerns about negligence in high school athletics. Valencia Smith, representing her minor child, G.A., has filed a lawsuit against several coaches at Rockwall-Heath High School, alleging that their actions during a January 2023 workout led to significant injuries.
The Incident
The incident occurred during a high school athletics class where student-athletes were reportedly punished with excessive physical exercise. According to the lawsuit, students were forced to complete over 300 push-ups in a single session for minor infractions like wearing the wrong attire, being late, or failing to hustle.
The intense physical exertion led to multiple cases of rhabdomyolysis, a condition caused by muscle breakdown that can release harmful proteins into the bloodstream and potentially damage the kidneys. The lawsuit claims that many students were hospitalized, and the effects of the condition could have long-term consequences.
The plaintiff alleges that the coaches, led by head coach John Harrell, ignored safety protocols, failed to monitor students for signs of distress, and denied them necessary water breaks during the session. These actions, according to the lawsuit, amounted to gross negligence.
Who is Being Sued?
In addition to head coach John Harrell, the lawsuit names several assistant coaches as defendants, including Chadrick A. President, Lucas Lucero, Joshua Rohmer, Seth McBride, Cody Monson, Chance Casey, Jake Rogers, Joseph Haag, Brody Trahan, Garrett Campfield, Alex Contreras, and Jordan Wallace.
Each coach is accused of participating in or failing to prevent the harmful workouts. The lawsuit alleges that all the defendants ignored clear instructions from the school district’s athletic director, Russ Reeves, who had explicitly warned against using physical exercise as punishment.
The complaint also states that the assistant coaches contributed to the unsafe environment by either enforcing the excessive workout or failing to intervene. For instance, the lawsuit claims some assistant coaches assigned additional push-ups without regard for the students’ physical condition. Others, it alleges, supported a “group punishment” approach, in which the entire class was penalized for the actions of one student.
The named defendants also allegedly engaged in a whisper campaign to shift blame for the injuries onto the students. Internal communications revealed attempts to suggest that the affected students’ symptoms were caused by the use of nutritional supplements. However, an investigation found no evidence to support these claims.
Expert Witnesses in the Investigation
The investigation into the Rockwall-Heath lawsuit involved 58 interviews with student-athletes, coaches, and others connected to the incident. It also included a review of documents, photos, emails, texts, and security footage to gather important evidence.
Three expert witnesses were consulted during the investigation:
- Dr. Salman Bhai is a neurologist and specialist in muscle-related disorders. He works at UT Southwestern Medical Center and Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas. Dr. Bhai reviewed the medical records of the affected students to assess the physical impact of the injuries.
- Scott Anderson is a certified athletic trainer with over 40 years of experience. He was the Head Athletic Trainer at the University of Oklahoma until his retirement in 2022. Anderson provided insight into whether the coaches followed proper safety protocols during the workout.
- Scott Bennett is a strength and conditioning specialist with over 30 years of experience. He is the CEO of the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association. Bennett helped evaluate the safety of the strength training methods used during the workout.
These experts helped confirm that the coaches’ actions were unsafe and contributed to the injuries sustained by the students.
The Lawsuit
The plaintiff argues that the coaches acted negligently in several ways:
- Ignoring Warnings: The district’s athletic director, Russ Reeves, had warned the coaches not to use physical exercise as punishment, citing potential legal issues.
- Lack of Oversight: The coaches allegedly did not watch for signs of distress among students.
- No Breaks: Students were not given adequate water or rest during the workout.
- Blaming the Victims: The lawsuit claims the coaches tried to blame the students’ injuries on nutritional supplements, but an investigation found no proof of this.
Legal Analysis
The lawsuit focuses on negligence, which requires proof of four elements:
- Duty of Care: The coaches had a legal responsibility to ensure the safety of students.
- Breach of Duty: The lawsuit claims the coaches breached this duty by enforcing unsafe workouts and ignoring warnings.
- Causation: The plaintiff alleges that the coaches’ actions directly caused the injuries.
- Damages: G.A. suffered physical and emotional harm, with medical expenses exceeding $250,000.
Conclusion
The Rockwall-Heath lawsuit highlights serious concerns about safety in school sports, questioning whether safety rules are being followed and coaches are being held accountable. By naming multiple defendants, the complaint highlights that all coaches on the team share responsibility for protecting their athletes.
The case also draws attention to the risks of using extreme physical punishment as discipline. It emphasizes the need to reject unsafe practices and prioritizes student safety.
As the case progresses, it serves as a reminder of the importance of protecting student-athletes. The allegations suggest the coaching staff failed to meet basic safety standards. A ruling for the plaintiff could send a strong message against negligence and harmful practices in sports, encouraging schools nationwide to adopt stricter policies and improve coaching training to protect athletes’ health and safety.
Charles Keller is a former Division I tennis player and a recent graduate from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Sport Management.
