CIC CIC Legal Liability & Risk Management 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The legal concept that holds a coach responsible for taking reasonable steps to protect athletes from foreseeable harm is known as:
- Duty of care (Correct answer)
- Assumption of risk
- Sovereign immunity
- Proximate cause
Correct answer: Duty of care
Duty of care obligates coaches to act as a reasonably prudent professional would in similar circumstances to protect athlete safety.
Question 2: A CIC coach can BEST reduce legal liability by:
- Documenting all safety inspections, injury incidents, and communications in writing (Correct answer)
- Asking athletes to sign waivers that waive all school liability
- Relying on athletic trainers to handle all safety matters
- Keeping minimal records to reduce paper trails
Correct answer: Documenting all safety inspections, injury incidents, and communications in writing
Thorough documentation demonstrates that reasonable care was taken, which is the primary defense against negligence claims.
Question 3: When an athlete discloses a pre-existing medical condition before the season, the coach should:
- Document it, inform the athletic trainer, and follow physician clearance requirements (Correct answer)
- Keep it confidential and not share it with any staff
- Remove the athlete from the team until fully recovered
- Continue as normal and assume the athlete knows their own limits
Correct answer: Document it, inform the athletic trainer, and follow physician clearance requirements
Proper documentation and coordination with medical staff ensures the athlete receives appropriate accommodations and reduces liability.
Question 4: Which of the following best defines 'negligence' in an athletic coaching context?
- Failing to act with the standard of care expected of a reasonably prudent coach, resulting in harm (Correct answer)
- Intentionally injuring an athlete during practice
- Coaching without a valid teaching certificate
- Losing more games than expected in a season
Correct answer: Failing to act with the standard of care expected of a reasonably prudent coach, resulting in harm
Negligence requires a breach of duty of care that directly causes harm, distinguishing it from intentional misconduct.
Question 5: An athlete's parents sign a permission slip that includes a liability waiver for a team trip. This waiver:
- Does not eliminate the coach's duty of care and may not be fully enforceable in court (Correct answer)
- Completely protects the school from any legal action
- Transfers all liability to the parents
- Is only valid if notarized
Correct answer: Does not eliminate the coach's duty of care and may not be fully enforceable in court
Liability waivers do not eliminate duty of care, and courts often limit their enforceability, especially for minors.
Question 6: Proper supervision in an interscholastic sports setting requires a coach to:
- Be present and attentive during all practices and competitions involving athletes (Correct answer)
- Designate a senior player to run practice when the coach must leave
- Be available by phone if an emergency occurs
- Check in with athletes once per week during the season
Correct answer: Be present and attentive during all practices and competitions involving athletes
Continuous, in-person supervision is required to meet the duty of care standard and prevent foreseeable injuries.
CIC CIC Legal Liability & Risk Management 1
The legal concept that holds a coach responsible for taking reasonable steps to protect athletes from foreseeable harm is known as: