High School Football, is it worth it?

High School Football, is it worth it?

I started this GoFundMe, to ask for some help, but to also inform people about what could happen to their kids.

I never thought having just turned 21 years old, I would be trying to figure out how to pay my legal bills, because of an accident when I was playing high school football.

I loved football, and grew up thinking about playing football my whole life, like a lot of kids my age.  Now, unfortunately I see football as the reason my future is uncertain.

In October 2015, when I was just 17 years old and still a kid, I played for the Crawford high school varsity football team. During a game, while playing offense, I made a clean block on another player, who then fell into a referee on the field because of my block.  You can see the play in the video. I am the player in blue and red at the top of the screen.  You can see at the time of my block, the play was live and continuing with other players making their blocks, and the running back advancing the ball forward.

Because of that play, the referee was injured and he turned around and sued ME and the San Diego Unified School District for over $1,000,000.  Yes, you read that number correctly! I had no idea, and neither did my parents, that you could be sued like this for what was an accident on the field.  That definitely wasn’t in any school paperwork. The school never informed any of the players, that an accident on the field could be our personal responsibility. The school and my coaches certainly never informed anyone that if something like this did occur, the school would NOT DEFEND THEIR PLAYERS.

The school basically told me, I’m on my own. Get a lawyer, deal with it.
Because they are a school, they have some special government protections for things like this. Because I’m just a regular person, I do not.

A week before trial started, I was dismissed out of the case. The referee settled for just $50,000 from the school district.  BUT, all the way leading up to trial, I did have a lawyer who helped get me defend the case and get dismissed, and lawyers aren’t free. Mine was heavily discounted, but I do still have bills to pay.

I decided to sue the San Diego School District for the cost of my legal fees, and that case is pending. My hope is that I can pay my bills, but also to inform parents and kids, that this can happen to you!!!

YOU CAN BE SUED FOR PLAYING A GAME.

We hear so much about safety on the field for our kids, concussions, regulated practice time, but no one talks about what could financially cripple you instead. 

Has your school district told you if this can happen to you? You should ask.

All I wanted to do was be a kid, play football, and have some fun with my friends. I’m sure that’s what your kids want too. Is it worth it?

Thank you for any help you can offer, and sharing this GoFundMe page with others.