![When death strikes a team, grief follows no playbook | Dustin Cox ... - [Image source: Youtube Screen grab]](https://staticr1.blastingcdn.com/media/photogallery/2017/8/10/660x290/b_502x220x82/when-death-strikes-a-team-grief-follows-no-playbook-dustin-cox-victoryviewscom_1501823.jpg "When death strikes a team, grief follows no playbook | Dustin Cox ... - [Image source: Youtube Screen grab]")
tragedy has hit the eastern edge of Long Island at Sachem East High School. The school is located in Framingham, New York where the team was participating in practice for the upcoming season. They were using training techniques that have been utilized by the fiercest people in the armed forces, and a horrible accident has ended the life of one 16-year old boy who wanted to play High School Football.
Navy SEAL training exercises
Many rigorous training exercises are utilized by the Navy Seal Training teams, and the team was using a large log to build strength.
This is an exercise that has gone over many times in the past quite well, but it fell during the practice. The tragedy took a turn for the worst when the log struck 16-year old Joshua Mileto in the head. He was pronounced dead sometime later, and authorities were dispatched to the scene.
The wisdom of this exercise
An expert in fitness and strength training named Douglas Casa has said that he questions why they needed to use a log in an exercise that was meant for Navy SEAL training. The SEAL teams are the most elite fighters in the world, and they go through more than most people can imagine simply to join one of those teams. Using one of their exercises with high school football players may seem a bit extreme to some looking in from the outside.
There are merits to both sides of the argument, and officials are still looking into it.
Team building
The team building exercise that caused Joshua's death is one that other players on the team thought was commonplace. These students were working in an environment where high school football players were taught that they could do anything.
This may raise the questions about teaching athletes their limitations, and detractors may say that students should be asked to do anything that will make them better. Striking a balance between these two things will help kids stay safe while they hone their athletic skills. Tragedy has struck, and it is time for many different people to examine what they would do in their own practices.
Football at East Sachem High School will be a somber thing this fall when the team takes the field after this tragedy. Surely they will honor Joshua and all the work and love that he put into his team. This horrible accident will likely teach high school football coaches and players what they should be doing in their practices, and it may serve as a caution to players who believe they are working beyond their limits.
