Oct 31, 2018Soccer Athlete Sues
Two summers ago, Patrick Clancy says he suffered heat stroke following practice on the Monticello (Va.) High School soccer team. He is now suing his former coach, Stuart Pierson, and Monticello High School’s athletic director, Matthew Pearman, for negligence.
According to c-ville, practice was held at 8 a.m. on July 21, 2017, during a National Weather Service heat advisory day. By the time Patrick, then 16, had finished practice at 10 a.m. on a synthetic turf field, he had a headache, had stopped sweating, and was barely able to talk. His brother Ryan drove him home, where, Patrick’s mother, Emily Clancy, found that he was throwing up and his fingers were blue. Clancy drove Patrick to the emergency room, and said that he would likely have died if she had not been home that day.
Clancy contacted Pierson, who she said blamed Patrick for not bringing enough water. The lawsuit alleges that the defendants violated safety guidelines by not providing water, shade or rest breaks, not having an athletic trainer present, and not considering how the synthetic turf would increase the heat index.
“The rules were in place that day, and they were not followed,” Clancy said.
Clancy said her sons suffered mental and physical scars, as well as bullying. Since then, Ryan has graduated, while Patrick has gone to a different school.
“No one from the county ever apologized or even asked [Patrick] if he was okay,” Clancy said.
According to Clancy, both her sons are “100 percent” in favor of the lawsuit.
“Patrick said, ‘Mom, we have to do this because if we don’t, someone is going to die,’” Clancy said.
