St. Francis High School has received the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Safe Sports School award for its Sports Medicine and Athletic Training Program, according to a press release from the school.
The award champions safety and recognizes secondary schools that provide safe environments for student athletes. The honor reinforces the importance of providing the best level of care, injury prevention and treatment.
“St. Francis high School is honored to receive this 1st Team recognition from NATA, and we remain committed to keeping our student athletes safe during physical education classes, team practices and games so they can accomplish their own goals of great competition, fair sportsmanship, academic excellence and good health,'' St. Francis’ Certified Athletic Trainer, Mr. Eli Hallak, said in a prepared statement.
"Our goal is to lead our athletics program to the highest safety standards for our players,” he added.
Physical activity is very important for our youth, according to NATA president Jim Thornton, MS, ATC, CES.
“There has been an increase in competitive sports, which are, unfortunately, not without risk. Brain injury/concussion, cardiac arrest, heat illness, exertional sickling, cervical spine fractures and other injuries and illnesses are potentially life-threatening.”
Therefore, Proper planning with proper equipment and personnel is vital to the safety of student athletes today, he noted.
In order to achieve Safe Sport School status, as St. Francis High School did, athletic programs must do the following:
• Create a positive athletic health care administrative system
• Provide or coordinate pre-participation physical examinations
• Promote safe and appropriate practice and competition facilities
• Plan for selection, fit function and proper maintenance of athletic equipment
• Provide a permanent, appropriately equipped area to evaluate and treat injured athletes
• Develop injury and illness prevention strategies, including protocols for environmental conditions
• Provide or facilitate injury intervention
• Create and rehearse a venue-specific Emergency Action Plan
• Provide or facilitate psychosocial consultation and nutritional counseling/education
• Be sure athletes and parents are educated of the potential benefits and risks in sports as well as their responsibilities.
For more information please visit: www.athletictrainers.org. About NATA: National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) – Health Care for Life & Sport Athletic trainers are health care professionals who specialize in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries and sport-related illnesses. They prevent and treat chronic musculoskeletal injuries from sports, physical and occupational activity, and provide immediate care for acute injuries. Athletic trainers offer a continuum of care that is unparalleled in health care. The National Athletic Trainers' Association represents and supports 35,000 members of the athletic training profession. Visit www.nata.org.
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