In which we address an unbreakable rule

So here’s the deal. I refuse to accept independent entries, and I refuse to even consider unchaperoned entries. If you do not have an adult on the scene, presumably with the appropriate medical and contact information and the commitment of your school to your attendance, you are not going to my tournament.

I have seen over the years more nonsense attacking this stance than [insert Donald Trump metaphor here]. Not letting in anyone who wants to come somehow violates their right to debate, they say, or as it often seems to be considered, their Right to Debate, with all the capital letters.

Balderdash.

I have now worked two tournaments this season. At both of these tournaments, students were taken ill, emergency medical services were notified, and the students were taken to local hospitals. This is not the first time I’ve seen this happen, but it’s the first time it’s happened back-to-back.

When there is a medical emergency, you want a few things. First, you want someone on hand who has some emergency training. Fortunately, a lot of teachers do indeed have this training as part of their own education. Second, you want the appropriate adult to take responsibility for the student as quickly as possible. You might have to pull them out of rounds, maybe even from a different building, but they need to be as immediately available as a tournament can allow. Obviously, tending to the needs of a sick student overrides any other responsibility at a tournament.

The people running a tournament are not the ones who should decide what steps to take when there is an incident, except insofar as they must act until the appropriate responsible adult arrives. The people running a tournament do not somehow take responsibility for the well-being of the attendees, aside from the obvious maintenance of a safe venue. Many tournaments clearly post a disclaimer about this sort of thing, thinking that it somehow absolves them from legal responsibilities.

But this is not about legality. It is about the well-being of the individuals at a tournament. High school students are minors. When they attend school they require adult supervision; when they travel for their schools, they require adult supervision then as well, if not more so, provided by and/or supported by their schools. If a student shows up at a tournament unchaperoned, or unbeknownst to their school, the trail of responsibility is broken. The worst case scenarios are absolutely terrifying. Many of the lesser scenarios aren’t exactly heartwarming either.

You can’t argue with this. Really. You can’t. Don’t even bother to try.

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