On a team with roughly 65-70 on the travel squad that could be 5-7 players, which would be right in line with what the coach said, as he stated there were a few players on the team with sickle cell trait.
I merely pointed out that a sickle cell crisis truly can happen, football at high altitude is a perfect setup for that, and that it is appropriate for the coach to take precautions.
It's called facts, and I'm sorry if it doesn't play into your narrative, but it's true.