Safety
Checklist for High School Athletic Programs
In the world of
high school athletics, injuries are an unfortunate “part
of the game”. While fun and success on-the-field are key
components to high school athletics, safety is of utmost importance.
Parents should
look for the presence of items on this “safety checklist” in
any high school athletic program:
Emergency Plan:
Emergency plans should include a pre-established, well-organized
plan of action to be implemented in the event of an emergency.
Items may
include:
- Who will provide
emergency first-aid?
- How will EMS
be summoned?
- How will parents
be notified in the event of an
emergency?
- Is there an
adequate communication system in place at all athletic
practices and contests?
- Is documentation
with emergency phone numbers and a list of each student’s medical conditions readily
available at all practices and games?
- Does the school
monitor the availability
of medically prescribed personal emergency medication?
On-Site
NATA BOC Certified Athletic Trainer:
A qualified allied health-care provider should be
available to student-athletes. The ideal choice
would be an NATA
Certified Athletic Trainer. A Certified
Athletic Trainer is an allied health-care professional
who specializes
in the prevention, immediate care, treatment, and
rehabilitation of athletic injuries.
Team Physician:
There should be a physician affiliated with the
school who is well-versed in sports medicine.
There should
be an open
line
of communication
between the team physician and the school’s
athletic trainer.
Pre-Participation
Physical Examination:
A physician should perform an annual physical examination
for each student-athlete, prior to athletic participation.
Guidelines
for participation should be established for any
athlete with a
medical
alert, and this
information should be made readily available
to the athletic trainer, and to the coaching
staff.
Inclement Weather
Protocol:
Guidelines for inclement weather, such as lightning
and extreme heat, should be established in
advance of the
athletic season. The coaching
staff and all athletic participants must
follow the established guidelines. In addition, adequate
methods
for re-hydration
should be readily available
to all athletes on a daily basis.
Education
of Coaches:
The coaching staff must be trained in CPR,
basic first-aid, and the use of an AED
(automated external
defibrillator).
Guidelines for
Returning to Play Following Injury:
The team physician and athletic trainer
should be the individuals responsible
for making
the decision to
return an athlete
to play after he or
she sustains an injury. An open line of
communication regarding the status
of the athlete’s injury is essential,
and should include the physician, athletic
trainer, coach, parent, and student-athlete.
Field/Facility
Maintenance:
All athletic facilities must be properly
cared for and inspected on a regular
schedule.
Athletic Equipment:
The equipment provided by the school
should be safe, properly fitted,
in good repair,
and inspected
on
a regular schedule.
Equipment
that is damaged, in ill repair, or
dangerous should be discarded.
Conditioning
Programs:
A person who is educated in the conditioning
of the adolescent athlete should
design and monitor pre-season,
in-season,
and out-of-season conditioning
programs. Adherence to such a program
will aid in
the
prevention of athletic injuries.
National
Athletic Trainers’ Association, 1999
Patricia Patane,
MS, ATC, PT, CSCS is a Certified Athletic Trainer,
Physical Therapist,
and
Strength and Conditioning
Specialist
with the Vermont Sports Medicine
Center in Manchester.
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