Young Player in My Team Will be Fasting During Ramadan.
Discussion
I run a grassroots football team, under 13 boys.
We have five games league and well placed to win our division (need three wins from those five to bag the title). They are all hard games and all players are up to the challenge. One of them is a key midfielder who has told me in training this morning that he will begin fasting in three days time; right on cue, warmer, sunnier weather has showed up.
He wants to play. We want him to play. But how do we go about it? Give him 10-15 minutes a half? Sensible religious advice from my Muslim friend is that the player should not be putting himself in such a position therefore he shouldn't really be playing for the month (our final games will be played out during that month). The player, on the other hand, wants to play.
He is not allowed to drink water. He can if it is for medical reasons.
If he's dehydrating, it becomes medical technically. However, this is why the advice is that he shouldn't play.
Has anyone any experience of this? I can't tell him - or his parents - what to do. But if his decision is to play, the water thing becomes a problem.
We have five games league and well placed to win our division (need three wins from those five to bag the title). They are all hard games and all players are up to the challenge. One of them is a key midfielder who has told me in training this morning that he will begin fasting in three days time; right on cue, warmer, sunnier weather has showed up.
He wants to play. We want him to play. But how do we go about it? Give him 10-15 minutes a half? Sensible religious advice from my Muslim friend is that the player should not be putting himself in such a position therefore he shouldn't really be playing for the month (our final games will be played out during that month). The player, on the other hand, wants to play.
He is not allowed to drink water. He can if it is for medical reasons.
If he's dehydrating, it becomes medical technically. However, this is why the advice is that he shouldn't play.
Has anyone any experience of this? I can't tell him - or his parents - what to do. But if his decision is to play, the water thing becomes a problem.
Plenty of Muslim players in the premier League fast, like Salah and Mane even on game days.
You want to play him and he wants to play, if he's a key player I'd start him and see how he gets on throughout the match.
You never know he might want to prove to you he can do it so puts in an even better performance or his body might just say f-it and he decides not to do it on game days.
Only he will know how his body will react so no point in making an issue of it before you know.
You want to play him and he wants to play, if he's a key player I'd start him and see how he gets on throughout the match.
You never know he might want to prove to you he can do it so puts in an even better performance or his body might just say f-it and he decides not to do it on game days.
Only he will know how his body will react so no point in making an issue of it before you know.
There’s a big difference between an adult and child for those citing examples above.
I coach kids in running, and am qualified through England Athletics, and I wouldn’t let a fasting child of that age train or compete. I feel it would breach my duty of care and safe guarding guidelines.
For clarity, I would regard it as a “Practice Concern”,
“PRACTICE CONCERNS - A practice concern is behaviour that falls short of abuse but which nevertheless harms or places someone at risk of harm, or has a negative and adverse effect on the safety and wellbeing of children. Practice concerns include any behaviour, act or omission by members of staff, coaches, volunteers, officials, or a club and its members, that may contravene this policy, or any associated procedures and guidelines, in particular the codes of conduct.”
“ Further examples of practice concerns may include but are not restricted to:
• continuing with a session or activity when there is a heightened risk to the group or athlete’s wellbeing and safety”
https://www.englandathletics.org/clubhub/asset-dow...
I coach kids in running, and am qualified through England Athletics, and I wouldn’t let a fasting child of that age train or compete. I feel it would breach my duty of care and safe guarding guidelines.
For clarity, I would regard it as a “Practice Concern”,
“PRACTICE CONCERNS - A practice concern is behaviour that falls short of abuse but which nevertheless harms or places someone at risk of harm, or has a negative and adverse effect on the safety and wellbeing of children. Practice concerns include any behaviour, act or omission by members of staff, coaches, volunteers, officials, or a club and its members, that may contravene this policy, or any associated procedures and guidelines, in particular the codes of conduct.”
“ Further examples of practice concerns may include but are not restricted to:
• continuing with a session or activity when there is a heightened risk to the group or athlete’s wellbeing and safety”
https://www.englandathletics.org/clubhub/asset-dow...
Edited by CheesecakeRunner on Saturday 26th March 13:34
My son is U16, since U14 there have been boys fasting. These are first choice starters. They're happy to play and with parents agreement the coaches are happy to play them. If they start showing tiredness they're subbed.
This is a very competitive Premier league in NW London. Most teams have players fasting and manage it the same way.
Agreement with parents is critical.
This is a very competitive Premier league in NW London. Most teams have players fasting and manage it the same way.
Agreement with parents is critical.
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