Category: #AT4ALL

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Braves, Bulldogs athletic trainers named

As McLeod Health expands health care services to the residents of Cheraw and Bennettsville, McLeod Sports Medicine has hired certified athletic trainers for high schools in those counties.

Eric Schwab is the certified athletic trainer for the Cheraw High School Braves. He is a 2013 graduate of Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan, with a bachelor of science in athletic training.

Schwab is also a 2015 graduate of East Tennessee State University, where he completed a master of arts degree in kinesiology and sport studies. He also has experience working with professional, collegiate and high school athletes.

Carlton Anderson returns to McLeod as the certified athletic trainer for the Marlboro County Bulldogs. Prior to his return, Carlton was head athletic trainer at Mount De Sales High School in Macon, Georgia.

Anderson earned a bachelor of arts degree from University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill in 1993 and received a master of education degree in health promotion and kinesiology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 1996.

He has experience with collegiate athletics, having served as the head athletic trainer at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte from 2000-13. He has also worked with professional teams such as the Chicago Cubs, Washington Redskins and Atlanta Braves.

“In an effort to continue the mission of McLeod Health, we are thrilled to be able to serve these communities through the provision of athletic training services. Our new athletic trainers have excellent credentials and bring a great deal of experience to our team,” certified athletic trainer supervisor Adam Ploeg said in a statement.

The active population requires a specialized sports medicine program of physicians, therapists and certified athletic trainers who are dedicated to helping individuals prevent injury, improve performance and achieve personal physical goals.

McLeod Sports Medicine has 24 certified athletic trainers on staff who provide medical care to athletes of 19 high schools in the counties of Florence, Darlington, Marion, Horry, Dillon, Lee, Marlboro and Chesterfield. They also provide athletic training services to the Florence Red Wolves, Francis Marion University and Florence-Darlington Technical College.

The goal of an athletic trainer is to prevent injuries and provide timely access to care and manage day-to-day sport injuries to help keep athletes participating in their sport. Certified athletic trainers are state-licensed and nationally accredited.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE:
http://thecherawchronicle.com/news/496/braves-bulldogs-athletic-trainers-named

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Jaguars, NFL helping put full-time athletic trainers in local high schools

The goal is about health and safety.

And a new objective of the Jaguars, the NFL, Jacksonville University and the Jacksonville Sports Medicine Program is designed to ensure Duval County Public School athletes are healthier and safer soon.

Those entities are working together to provide funding and training needed to place full-time athletic trainers in 17 Duval County public high schools by 2020. The initiative was announced at a news conference Thursday morning in the US Assure Club West lobby inside EverBank Field.

Jaguars President Mark Lamping and Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry were among officials speaking at the news conference, as were Jacksonville University President Tim Cost, NFL Senior Manager Health and Policy Amy Jorgenson and Duval County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Nikolai Vitti.

“When we were offered the opportunity from the National Football League to expand the safety net to all sports at the high school level, we could not pass it up,” Lamping said. “It is precisely because Jacksonville is part of the NFL family that we have the opportunity to help bring these great NFL initiatives to Jacksonville.

“The NFL has created this platform for us. Without their leadership and financial commitment, this wouldn’t be happening.”

The Jacksonville Jaguars Foundation has committed to aid the effort by donating $50,000, a commitment matched by the NFL. The total funding needed for the five-year program is approximately $3 million. Duval County Public Schools will fund the majority with the remaining funds generated through private partnerships.

“It’s nice to be a part of this power of collaboration here today,” Curry said. “I was sworn in July 1. There was a lot of stuff that landed on my desk, much of which is still sitting there. This was one of the first things. It asked the city to be a small part of this.

“We were asked to invest a fraction and my immediate answer was yes. It really transcends athletics itself… It was an easy answer to be a part of this.”

Said Lamping, “Football is such a great thing and has such an important place in our hearts here in Jacksonville. One of the reasons this continues to grow year to year is there are so many men and women who have been exposed to the game over the years and realize how important the life skills are that they develop being exposed to the game. One of the keys is making sure the game is played safely.”

Jaguars Head Physician Kevin Kaplan called the program “an amazing step toward the goal of having athletic trainers in all of our local high schools.”

Ribault, Englewood, Raines, Baldwin and Jackson high schools will have full-time trainers this year under the program, with the goal being to have full-time trainers in all Duval County schools by 2020.

“Our message today is significant: safety,” JSMP Executive Director Robert Sefcik said. “This program is certain to become a model of success not only here in Jacksonville but throughout our state and country.”

Lamping said the Jaguars’ involvement in the program was important because of the importance of football to the community – and the importance of safety in the game at all levels.

“Why is it important that the Jaguars be involved? It’s pretty simple,” Lamping said. “We have an obligation to this community. We take a lot out of this community and we have a responsibility to put resources back into the community. The second part is we want the game of football to continue to grow and become even more popular. Part of that is making sure we are supporting the safety aspects of this game – and not just at the NFL level.”

ORIGINAL ARTICLE:
http://www.jaguars.com/news/article-JaguarsNews/Jaguars-NFL-helping-put-full-time-trainers-in-local-high-schools/53bafb58-539f-4299-b504-3e66477bad5a

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School District makes funding available for athletic training

San Dieguito Union High School District board voted 3-2 to increase the level of certified athletic trainer services at its four high schools. The board extended its contract with Rehab United Sports Medicine and Physical Therapy through 2018, increasing the level of service and the contract amount from $126,152 to $165,000 a year. For the first time since 2009, the district will be paying for these services out of the general fund rather than asking for donations to support the program from the high school foundations.

Trustees Mo Muir and John Salazar voted against the Rehab United contract.

Eric Dill, associate superintendent of business services, said that the agreement has expanded in scope to cover the growth of the athletic program (22 sports in total), additional hours, added a fifth trainer to cover absences or gaps in coverage, and to provide additional support such as strength and conditioning and nutrition should the teams request it.

Superintendent Rick Schmitt said asking for foundations to support the program began during the economic downturn. The district asked for $100,000 from the four foundations to be able to keep it.

“They stepped up, but it was never a forever strategy,” Schmitt said.

Dill said upon looking at the service last year, the district decided that it was time to assume the contract fully. The money is in the budget, and they have rebuilt the district’s reserves to be able to restore athletic directors as a district expense.

The board heard public comment from Paul Gaspar, a board member of the San Dieguito Sports Medicine Foundation, which held the athletic trainer contract with the district for more than a decade until a few years ago, when it was awarded to Rehab United.

“There were numerous problems over the last year with the new provider,” Gaspar said, referring to last fall when several parents expressed concerns that athletic trainers were contractually obligated to refer injured athletes to Rehab United.

“Those things I hope were written into the contract so this does not happen again,” Gaspar said.

Gaspar asserted that he was not making these comments because he wanted the contract over Rehab United. He said because of the way trainers were treated by the district and the district’s failure to make timely payments, he wouldn’t be interested in working with the district again.

As far as problems go, Dill said that the district does not feel anything remains as a serious concern. The referral issue was changed in the contract language — athletes are free to follow up with any care provider they choose.

Dill also apologized to Gaspar for the district’s previous payment problems. When he moved into the business services department, he learned that the district’s method had been waiting for donation money to come in to pay the contractor. He said they have since changed that practice.

Trustee Muir said she was upset that the district did not issue a request for proposals (RFP) for the contract, since it is such an important service for student-athletes.

“I think it would’ve been prudent to search and see if anybody else was interested in doing this,” agreed trustee John Salazar. “Especially for this amount of money.”

Dill said the district does not go out for RFPs every year on every contract it has. The district last issued an RFP for athletic trainer services in 2013, and the district received only one bid, from Rehab United. Before that, in 2008, the district received only three.

“There are not many providers that provide this service,” Dill said.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE:

https://www.google.com/search?q=san+dieguito&espv=2&biw=1280&bih=702&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAgQ_AUoA2oVChMIkKOmjd_xxgIVSZQNCh3uFQqP