Tag: athlete safety

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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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Athletic Trainer Bree Clayton Provides heat illness expertise

Warm weather brings the joys of summer, but also a few additional risks for active children and teens.

Athletic Trainer Bree Clayton from Arkansas Children’s Hospital stopped by THV11 This Morning with tips on how to keep them safe.

Why are young athletes at such risk for heat illness?

-Children and teens don’t get rid of heat through sweat as effectively as adults

-Young athletes often are disciplined enough to make themselves drink

-During practices and games, young athletes are easily distracted and they forget to take breaks and hydrate

Is heat illness still a worry for young athletes, even when we’ve had cooler weather like recently?

– Cooler weather recently means that young athletes are not as acclimatized to warmer temperatures

– Humidity is as important as temperature-with high humidity even temperatures in the 80’s can create dangerous a dangerous heat index

– Full sun exposure can also add as much as 15 degrees to the heat index

– Practice surface, especially artificial turf, also adds radiant heat

– Heat illness can even occur indoors if the temperature is not being controlled.

What are the signs parents/coaches should look for in their young athletes if they suspect heat illness?

– Noticeable Thirst

– Muscle Cramps

– Weakness

– Decreased Performance

– Nausea

– Headache

– Fatigue

– Lightheaded feeling or dizziness

– Difficulty paying attention

What is the best way to prevent it?

– Acclimatization-spending progressively longer times exercising outdoors is very important

– Good night’s sleep

– Well balanced diet consisting of fruits and vegetables

– Plenty of water and sports drinks

–Avoid products that contain lots of sugar and caffeine

–Absolutely no energy drinks! They can actually raise your body temperature.

– Wear as few layers as possible of light weight, moisture wicking material

– Change into dry clothes often

 

Will it help to wear a cooling bandana or other type of cooling towel when they are practicing in pads/helmet and playing games?

– Headbands and cooling towels are only helpful if they stay exposed to the wind.

– If they become wet and stay wet and are under shoulder pads and helmets, they are just going to trap heat in.

– Great for after practice, but probably not good to wear during practice.

What should parents ask of coaches to know that there is a plan in place to address heat illness?

– What type of rest plan does the coach have in place?

– Where can athletes go to cool off during breaks?

– How often are players allowed to drink water during practice?

– What is the school’s plan to treat an athlete that overheats?

– Does the school have an emergency action plan?

– Who monitors the athletes during practice to make sure they are not overheating?

Is water better than sports drinks for preventing heat illness or does it matter?

– Drinking compliance is the key!

– Water is better for overall hydration, but if kids do not like it they won’t drink it.

– Sports drinks have flavor so often times athletes are more likely to drink them.

What role can parents play in keeping their young athletes healthy during the heat?

– Have plenty of their favorite flavor of sports drink at home for before and after practice

– Make sure to have healthy snacks at home.

– Provide well balance meals and make sure your athlete eats-if they are tired they may not feel like, but encourage it

– Allow them to rest indoors in the air conditioning after practice

What should your first steps be if you identify heat illness in your child or another young athlete?

– If minor symptoms like dizziness, lightheadedness, or cramping:

–Rest in a cool place

–Remove wet, constricting clothes

— Give them plenty of water and sports drink

– If they collapse, lose consciousness, or become confuse this is an emergency and could be a heat stroke

–Cool them as rapidly as possible

—Ice bath is preferred method

—Ice packs over as much of body as possible

—Cold shower or ice towels

–Dial 9-1-1

–Remember to cool first and transport second

ORIGINAL ARTICLE:

http://www.thv11.com/story/news/health/2015/07/27/keeping-active-teens-children-safe-during-warm-weather/30723431/

 

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North Carolina Schools Declared Safe

With high school athletes accounting for an estimated 2 million injuries each year, south Charlotte parents of high school student-athletes can rest easily knowing their children attend “safe sports” schools.

The National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) announced 19 Charlotte-Mecklenburg high schools, with North Carolina High School Athletic Association athletic programs, received the Safe Sports School Award, and some south Charlotte high schools made the mark.

Ardrey Kell, South Mecklenburg, East Mecklenburg, Myers Park and Providence high schools earned the award, which recognizes the importance of providing the best level of care, injury prevention and treatment.

“This award recognizes the contributions and commitment of schools across the country that are implementing safe sports policies and best practices to ensure athletes can do what they love best and have the appropriate care in place to prevent, manage and treat injuries should they occur,” NATA President Scott Sailor said.

The award was launched in March 2013 as part of the Secondary School Athletic Trainers Committee of the NATA. Schools pay a $150 fee and apply for the award on an ongoing basis.

“The school must have a comprehensive athletic health care plan, promote safe and appropriate environments, provide proper sporting equipment, develop injury intervention strategies, rehearse an emergency action plan and promote a culture of safe play,” said Ellen Satlof, NATA public relations manager.

The U.S. Centers of Disease Control reported organized sports are on the rise, with nearly 30 million adolescents participating in youth sports in the U.S.

“There has been an increase in competitive sports, which are, unfortunately, not without risk. Brain injury/concussion, cardiac arrest, heat stroke, cervical spine fractures and other injuries and illnesses are potentially life-threatening,” former NATA president Jim Thornton said in a news release.

CMS partnered with Carolinas HealthCare System (CHCS) in 2011 to provide certified athletic trainers and help bridge the gap between health care providers and student-athletes in response to a growing concern nationwide about injuries among student-athletes, particularly concussions and cardiac deaths.

High school athletes account for an estimated 500,000 doctors visits and 30,000 hospitalizations each year, according to a study conducted by doctors and certified athletic trainers John Powell and Kim Barber-Foss.

“CMS values our longstanding partnership with Carolinas Healthcare System. The NATA Safe Sports School First Team Award achieved by our high schools is due in large part to our partnership with Carolinas HealthCare and the effort of athletic directors and athletic trainers in each school,” Susan Doran, CMS athletic director, said in the release. “We’re committed to providing quality care for our student-athletes, as well as a safe environment for them and their families. This award recognizes a standard of care provided to our student-athletes that ultimately improves their ability to perform at their highest level and enhances the environment in which they compete.”

Kevin Hinson, athletics director at South Meck, said the partnership has been a “load off of him” to ensure the safety of his student-athletes.

South Meck was one of the first four schools to receive a CHCS athletic trainer and Hinson said it’s made a big difference. Previously, schools would have to find a sports medicine teacher, who also was a certified athletic trainer, to head the departments’ athletic training, which Hinson said could be difficult to find.

“Having (CHCS) as a partner has been really huge for all schools so that we have an equal availability,” he added. “There is always a risk with athletics and to know that we have somebody qualified, who is really good with communicating with the parents, makes a difference.”

Brian Knab, athletics director at Ardrey Kell, said the school, which has more student-athletes than Queens University of Charlotte, would not be able to ensure the safety of its athletes without the athletic trainers in place.

He said Jacqui Frithsen, the school’s head athletic trainer, helps athletes even before practices with preventative care.

Leigh Ann Caldwell, manager of sports medicine with CHCS, believes some parents might not realize all athletic trainers’ tasks and the qualifications needed to take on the role.

“Athletic trainers are education and trained to recognize evaluate and treat injuries,” Caldwell said. “That’s what they go to school for.”

She explained an athletic trainer must attend a four-year program at an accredited university, pass a national board exam and obtain a state license.

“This is not something you can get over the Internet in 30 minutes,” Caldwell added. “It’s an incredible background and experience.”

All Charlotte-Mecklenburg high schools have a Carolinas HealthCare System-certified athletic trainers that work with the school year round

“It’s great recognition for CMS to show their parents, athletes and families that (the athletic trainers) put the care and health of their student-athletes first,” Caldwell said.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE:                                                                         http://thecharlotteweekly.com/education/2015/07/athletic-departments-receive-national-recognition-for-athletic-trainers/
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PAC 12 to cover athlete medical costs after graduation

As a gesture of goodwill and acknowledgment of the changing landscape of college athletics, the Pac-12 is looking to become one of the first conferences to cover the lingering medical costs of injuries sustained while in college.

“Hopefully this demonstrates to anyone that’s paying attention that reform is possible within a conference, within the NCAA, and that there are schools out there serious about it and will redirect a lot of resources toward it,” Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott said, addressing the long-standing criticism that the NCAA has no regard for student-athletes’ needs after graduation.

Starting this fall, the conference will mandate that its member schools incur the cost of a student-athlete’s medical bills for at least four years after he or she leaves or graduates from the school, or until he or she turns 26 (whichever comes first).

But the dispersion of such monies won’t be easy for the Pac-12’s member schools to navigate. As of now, the responsibility to determine its own policies and mechanisms for determining which athletes will be eligible for the post-grad medical benefits with zero oversight from the conference itself. This means that there will likely be wide-ranging parity in paid expenses between member schools.

It’s a situation that has the Pac-12’s athletic directors and trainers concerned about the procedures and language in student-athletes’ medical charts.

“It’s such a difficult thing to wrap your head around because what’s continuation of a problem and what’s a new problem?” Arizona athletic trainer Randy Cohen told CBS Sports. “How do you handle people who continue to do activities and maybe you recommend they don’t continue doing that? We really want to take care of these kids. But at what point is it the risk of playing sports and having injuries versus we hurt you?”

That sentiment is just one of a few critical aspects that will need to be ironed out as conferences works out the kinks in the new mandate over the next years. Another — how will individual schools find revenue to pay out the cost of these insurance policies?

“The only issue is it will place some additional financial burden on athletic programs that are becoming more burdened with other benefits like enhanced snacks and full cost of attendance,” said Dave Roberts, USC vice president of athletic compliance. “In my view, you like rational order. You don’t like things that are confusing and difficult to apply and track. It’s well-intentioned. We’re hopefully going to have a program that benefits athletes and doesn’t become so economically burdensome that it drags down the program.”

Then, of course, there’s the tricky transfer rule: if a player transfers with a nagging injury, which school is on the hook for the cost of those post-graduate years of medical treatment? The Pac-12’s bylaws release the player’s original school from the financial responsibility, but California has its own set of laws that could mean that a transfer’s original school needs to pay up.

“I hate to say it, but it’s probably something that has to shake out in the future,” Roberts said. “I could see instances where we might be obligated to take care of a transfer who transfers away, but under the Pac-12 guidelines that wouldn’t be the case.”

While passing a bylaw that makes its member schools responsible for former student-athletes’ medical expenses is a valiant effort, the Pac-12 no doubt finds itself diving deep into murky waters to develop the structure of its payouts.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE:                                                                                                                   http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-basketball/story/2015-06-22/pac-12-larry-scott-former-athletes-medical-bills-pay-commissioner