When, if ever, should you take a knee?

By Jolyn Garcia Posted December 12, 2012

When a player gets injured while participating in a sport, fellow players will get down on one knee. Taking a knee has been viewed as a sign of respect for the injured, but is it really necessary? Taking a knee on the field may help bring attention to the fallen player. With fewer bodies moving around it is easier to notice that someone is injured. In a little league sports, children are instructed by their coaches, and even parents, to take a knee. This could be effective in keeping children under control while the coach tends to the injured. Other than that point, how else could this act be beneficial?

As you move up to high school and upper-level sports you see fewer players taking a knee. Many high school coaches do not see it as a sign of disrespect if a team does not take a knee for an injured player.

Soccer coach Sarah Bull stated that her opinion on taking a knee “is that it’s nothing. It is neither respectful to do it nor disrespectful not to.”

Coach Bull has instructed her players to not take a knee during an injury, because it is something that is not done in higher level soccer.

“Just mindlessly doing things because someone said it’s tradition, can get people into trouble,” said Bull.

No one is sure of the origin of this act but athletes have been instructed by others for years to take a knee. Football player Tytin Johnson disagrees with taking a knee for an injury.

“It’s unnecessary. It’s just a stupid rule that somebody made up,” said Johnson.

When college football player Marcus Lattimore was injured, his entire team and the majority of the opposing team, stood up on the field to honor him. There were a few players who did take a knee and prayed for this player, like Tim Tebow has been known to do.

Taking a knee is something that could be done in Little League without thinking twice about it. In high school and higher-level sports, taking a knee is unnecessary. Whether or not you take a knee on the field, depends upon your views of this tradition and even your coach’s.