Due to the Flu NO more High fiving

[Racket_Man]

a Manhattan Youth Soccer club has banned after game high 5s to prevent the spread of the flu virus.

Too much over the top or the right thing?????

http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/u...oncerns-011513

[Cats]

I think it's a good idea. It's for a good reason, and they suggested an alternative: touching elbows. I've heard nasty outbreaks about the flu this year, and children tend to be incubators of illness on top of that. They're not cancelling games or banning ALL contact.

[TheHuckster]

My soccer team growing up forbade sharing water bottles or gear for the same reasons.

I do think this is overkill, though, especially since soccer is already a contact sport and you're probably going to be more apt to catch a germ simply by playing the game and running into another player. I think it would be far more effective to simply wash your hands after playing before eating, make sure players who are sick stay home, and avoid sharing things you don't have to share.

[Greenday]

Yea, people are already going to be in physical contact with one another. Their hearts are in the right place trying to protect the kids, especially how bad the flu is this year. Just need to make sure kids wash their hands after games, treat any wounds they might get. I know a lot of soccer teams do shared treats after or during games (Oranges during the game, snacks after the game, etc.) and that should probably be stopped. Too much touching each other's food and touching your mouth.

[Rageaholic]

Yeah this sounds overly OCD.

[Andara Bledin]

Honestly, banning hi-fives is really kind of pointless when talking about a group of people who likely share a single large shower facility.

I mean, a soccer team has a huddle. Not allowing hi-fives is one of those useless measures that makes people feel like they're "doing something" and could be bad in the possibility of giving a false sense of security.

^-.-^

[Seifer]

I think they chose the no high-five rule because our hands get absolutely filthy throughout the day. This goes double for kids, who haven't been taught that sneezing/coughing into your hands is the perfect way to spread germs. Even if they're going into huddles, they're far less likely to catch something than if they high five right after everyone wipes their nose on the back of their hand.

[Andara Bledin]

Um, have you ever seen a huddle? They often close with everyone putting their hands together before breaking.

^-.-^

[Password]

Whilst some football teams do go into a huddle it's far from every one of them.

Presumably a ban on those isn't mentioned because this club doesn't use them.

[bex1218]

Its still a rediculous ban on a contact sport. Hands may be one of the filthiest things, but when you are sweating and bumping into one another, high fives is the least of your worries.

[Panacea]

I agree. This is overkill. Unless you ban all touch in a contact sport, you are not going to prevent the spread of viruses.

That's not going to happen.

The better route is to teach coaches to encourage sick players or sick parents to stay the hell home. But the desire to win will probably prevent that common sense, and much more helpful, solution from working.