The National Athletic Trainers' Association has issued best practice youth sports health safety guidelines. Touted as the first of their kind, the guidelines, however, largely mirror best practice recommendations that MomsTEAM Institute has long advocated that independent sports programs adopt as part of a holistic approach to safety using a process spelled out in the International Safeguards for Children of Sports, which MTI played a part in developing as part of a 38-member global coalition of sports safety NGO's, and that is embodied in its SmartTeams program.
Here are the guidelines (with links to relevant MomsTEAM articles):
The NATA document includes comprehensive information on policy and procedure implementation recommendations. Highlights include:
Emergency Action Plans:
Sudden Cardiac Arrest:
Catastrophic Brain and Neck Injuries:
Exertional Heat Stroke:
1. Have a:
2. Provide education for member leaders, coaches, athletes, parents and staff on a periodic basis.
Potentially Life Threatening Medical Conditions:
Lightning:
Medical Services:
"As an independent youth sports safety organization and a leader in educating coaches, parents, athletes and health care providers for the last seventeen years, MomsTEAM Institute greatly appreciates that NATA, in its best health and sports safety guidelines, has largely validated what we have been saying for many years," said MTI Executive Director, Brooke de Lench. She noted that she had made many of the recommendations in her 2006 book, Home Team Advantage [24], and, more recently, as part of MTI's SmartTeams program [25], and that the recommendations regarding process are more fully developed in the International Safeguards for Children in Sport [26], which MTI, as a member of a global coalition of 38 NGO's has developed over the past four years, and is now implementing worldwide. "From my work in the youth sports trenches over the last seventeen years, I know that it is only by taking such a holistic approach to youth sports safety, one which involves all stakeholders as part of the safety team, can we work towards a safer sports experience for children, teens, and emerging adults," de Lench said.
Posted March 8, 2017; revised April 24, 2017
Links:
[1] https://www.momsteam.com/health-safety/youth-sports-safety-team-approach-needed-says-nata
[2] http://concussions.smart-teams.org/about-us/international-safeguards-for-children-in-sport/
[3] https://www.momsteam.com/successful-parenting/pre-season-meetings-open-lines-of-communication-coaches-parents-athletes
[4] https://www.momsteam.com/health-safety/cardiac-safety/general/cpr-and-aed-training
[5] https://www.momsteam.com/nata-releases-executive-summary-revised-exertional-heat-illness-position-statement
[6] https://www.momsteam.com/health-safety/concussion-safety
[7] https://www.momsteam.com/health-safety/hydration-safety/when-too-hot-for-sports-depends-on-heat-index
[8] https://www.momsteam.com/health-safety/general-safety/first-aid-youth-sports-coaches-training-often-lacking
[9] https://www.momsteam.com/nata-youth-sports-safety-alliance-adopts-first-national-action-plan-for-youth-sports-safety
[10] https://www.momsteam.com/health-safety/cardiac-safety/automatic-external-defibrillators-aeds/onsite-placement-of-an-aed-is-critical
[11] https://www.momsteam.com/health-safety/cardiac-safety/general/chain-of-survival-for-sudden-cardiac-arrest
[12] https://www.momsteam.com/health-safety/general-safety/questions-to-ask-during-pre-participation-physical-evaluation-exam
[13] https://www.momsteam.com/health-safety/six-pillars-concussion-risk-management-momsteam-approach
[14] https://www.momsteam.com/properly-fitted-football-helmet-simple-but-effective-way-to-reduce-concussion-risk-say-researchers
[15] https://www.momsteam.com/search/node/concussion meeting
[16] https://www.momsteam.com/team-of-experts/athletic-trainer-AT-every-school-should-have-one
[17] https://www.momsteam.com/health-safety/pre-season-heat-acclimatization-guidelines
[18] https://www.momsteam.com/health-safety/hydration-safety/cancel-modify-games-practices-heat-humidity
[19] https://www.momsteam.com/health-safety/hydration-safety/ice-water-immersion-best-treating-exertional-heat-stroke
[20] https://www.momsteam.com/health-safety/management-of-asthma-in-sports
[21] https://www.momsteam.com/exertional-sickling/nata-guidelines-reducing-preventing-treating-exertional-sickling-in-athletes
[22] https://www.momsteam.com/lightning-safety-policies-every-sports-club-or-league-needs-one
[23] https://www.momsteam.com/team-experts/tournaments-showcases-planning-injuries-medical-emergencies-essential
[24] https://www.amazon.com/Home-Team-Advantage-Critical-Mothers/dp/0060881631
[25] http://www.momsteaminstitute.org/smartteams™-0
[26] http://www.momsteaminstitute.org/unicef-international-safeguards-children-sport
[27] https://www.momsteam.com/health-safety/general-safety/emergency-medical-plan-essential-for-youth-sports-safety
[28] https://www.momsteam.com/health-safety/cardiac-safety/automatic-external-defibrillators-aeds/onsite-aed-placement-and-operato
[29] https://www.momsteam.com/cpr/cpr-training-parents-why-its-important-what-you-should-know
[30] https://www.momsteam.com/team-of-experts/pre-season-concussion-safety-meetings-every-team-should-have-one