Why isn’t this coach wearing a PFD?
Several years ago USRowing adopted a policy requiring that coaches and everyone in launches wear life jackets (Safety Guidelines;”Before the Row” item 9d).
So why isn’t the coach in the picture accompanying the March 16th Safety Feature wearing a life-jacket? There are other safety issues raised by this picture, but the absence of a PFD is a flagrant violation of one of USRowing’s basic guidelines on two different levels. First, it shows a casual disregard on the part of the club and the coach for USRowing’s Safety Guidelines. At the same time it also shows USRowing’s own casual attitude towards the example it sets for the rest of the rowing community.
In fact, looking through the Safety Features of the past couple of years I couldn’t find any pictures of coaches wearing proper safety gear.
As USRowing warns us, “Coaches and athletes have been unnecessarily killed and injured and programs have been successfully sued due to lax standards and or enforcement of rules.”
If USRowing is lax and isn’t paying attention to the enforcement of its own guidance, what’s the message this sends to the rowing community?
The cold water season is starting. It’s time to pay attention.
Row Safely,
Marc