Cassandra, of Greek mythology fame, had the gift of predicting the future. But as punishment from an angry god, Cassandra’s gift was ridiculed and her predictions were never believed. On Friday, at a Spokane Valley soccer tournament in Plantes Ferry Park, Monica Phillipy became a real-life Cassandra.

When a thunderstorm rolled into the River City Soccer Cup regional tournament, Phillipy asked tournament officials whether it was wise to play soccer in an electrical storm. They thought it was. Phillipy was worried and irritated at the decision to continue the tournament.

And then within an hour, in a scene worthy of a Greek tragedy, Phillipy was struck by lightning. One game was stopped for a short time. But the game resumed, even as Phillipy was being taken to the hospital.

The decision to continue playing during the thunderstorm was foolish and dangerous. Sports officials should always err on the side of extreme caution when a thunderstorm rolls into a sports field or arena. Some people at the tournament reported feeling tiny electrical jolts. And lightning was visible throughout some of the games.

No matter how much time and energy has gone into organizing a sports tournament – and this was a big tournament with 97 participating teams – nothing is worth risking the lives or long-term health of players and spectators.

The National Weather Service reports that about 80 people are killed each year by lightning. Hundreds more are injured. The lightning left a burn mark on Phillipy’s head and singed her hair. She was treated at Spokane Valley Hospital and released the same day.

The American College of Emergency Physicians recently reported that while lightning injuries might appear minor on the surface, internal damage can be extensive and last the rest of a person’s life. According to the report, “Long-term effects can include cataracts, sleep disturbances, memory dysfunction, headaches, irritability, fatigue, joint stiffness, muscle spasms and dry eyes.”

The rule of thumb for safety during thunderstorms is to go inside immediately if you cannot count to 30 between a lightning strike and thunder clap. In high school soccer programs, games are called off if lightning strikes within 20 miles of the playing field. And in Spokane city swimming pools, if anyone on staff sees lightning or hears thunder, the pools are closed and don’t reopen for 30 minutes after the weather has cleared. At area golf courses, a siren sounds when lightning is first spotted or when thunder is first heard. Employees in golf carts then ride through the course asking golfers to leave.

When sports officials fall down on the safety job, parents can step in and yank their children out of a game. Parents should trust their instincts. Cassandra-like parents might not be popular with coaches or players – or even their own children. But they should be listened to when they tell others that lightning near a playing field changes things quickly into a life-or-death game.