New Colorguard Coach Faces Tough Choice After Captain’s Knee Injury: Balancing Safety, Fairness to the Team, and Strength of the Routine
By Emily Ross
New Colorguard Coach Faces Tough Choice After Captain’s Knee Injury: Balancing Safety, Fairness to the Team, and Strength of the Routine
The problem centers on the team's captain, a talented student with a history of knee issues.
September 18, 2026
This article was last updated by Alisha Shrestha on September 18, 2026
For one first-year color guard coach, the season has already presented a challenge that extends far beyond teaching choreography.
The problem centers on the team’s captain, a talented student with a history of knee issues.
Earlier this season, the player and has since told the coach that she can’t perform specific movements, such as jazz runs or jumps.
At times, the pain has forced her to sit out of practice.
For the new coach, the concern is twofold: she doesn’t want to exacerbate the injury by pushing the captain, but she also doesn’t know when it’s safe for the student to return to full strength or whether certain moves will ever be possible again.
After voicing concerns to the administration, the coach was advised to call the student’s parents. The parent reported that their child hadn’t mentioned any pain at home and had recently gone on a long walk without problems.
According to the coach, they promised to follow up but never did. Later, when the captain asked to speak about the phone call, tensions seemed possible, but the conversation ended quickly.
For a while, the student stopped mentioning pain. Then, during a recent rehearsal, she said she couldn’t do a pique jump, sparking suggestions from teammates to remove the move from the show entirely.
That left the coach in a difficult spot. Should one student’s injury, especially the captain’s, change the routine for the whole team? Or should the choreography only be modified for her? Without medical clearance, how could the coach know whether the problem was serious or situational?
Veteran coaches responded to the situation, and many argued that medical clearance is non-negotiable.
Hector Fermaint, a Color Guard choreographer at Orange County Public Schools, ,
I just stopped reading halfway through. Point blank student needs a medical release form in order to even spin. She should not partake in anything until she returns with a doctor’s note stating there’s no issue with her knee. It’s a liability.
Others also raised the concern following the situation. Delany Noelle Grizzle, a resident of Mobile, Alabama, ,
I would say standard practice should be to contact the parent, which you’ve done, and ask them to take their child to the doctor. Don’t let the child participate at all until medically cleared by a doctor.
One coach explained how she created alternative moves for her co-captain with knee problems, allowing the team to maintain visual balance without rewriting entire sequences.
Kortney Alumbaugh’s suggestion was to split the group, with half performing the original move and the other half doing a version so that the captain wouldn’t stand out alone. She added,
I have a girl that has knee pain and is my co captain. I make sure she has her brace on every practice. I even keep one on hand incase she doesn’t have hers. I make sure she can do the move but during practice I have her do everything except the ones that will mess her up. She is able to do the true move when we preform. Some shows she has told me she can’t and I alway have a back up move for her do to that is very similar but will not strain her knee and it looks good either way. Other times I have had half the girls do the move and the other half do a similar one so its even and she isn’t the only one out. The district i work for also requires Dr notes for injuries. Stating they are clear or what they are limited to.
- Check other Articles on
Rohit Maharjan is a skilled content writer and editor, known for his expertise in crafting engaging and informative written pieces. Beyond his professional work, Rohit is also a passionate musician, dedicating his free time to playing the guitar and creating melodious tunes.
Related articles
May 15, 2026
May 15, 2026
May 14, 2026
May 14, 2026
Comments
LEAVE A REPLY
Comment: Please enter your comment! Name:* Please enter your name here Email:* You have entered an incorrect email address! Please enter your email address here
Δ
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam.
Share article
- May 15, 2026 Jerry Lee Singleton, a 1974 graduate of DeKalb High School, where he was a standout athlete, has passed away at 70. Singleton was born on...
- May 15, 2026 Residents living along Blackwell Road in Huthwaite are calling for urgent action after a group of children was repeatedly caught kicking front doors and...
- May 14, 2026 Howard Paul Sr., a graduate of Black River High School, tragically passed away. Paul was born on September 15, 1951, to his father, Arthur, and...
- May 14, 2026 A disturbing act of violence at Steven's Park in Allentown has left residents shaken and demanding answers after a witness took to social media...
- May 13, 2026 Residents of Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, are raising serious concerns after a series of violent incidents involving a group of young boys who have been targeting...
Related Archive
More in news 
Former O’Connor High School Football Player Erik Rogalinski Passed Away, Leaving The Community Heartbroken
Former Football Player Brad Hopkins’ Wife Kristen Hopkins Has Built a Remarkable Career in Global Talent Acquisition
