Part 5: Is Your Child Safe? League Sports
- Dr. Steven Horwitz
- Jun 1, 2016
- 2 min read
"I'll always regret that Kelli and I relied on chance and luck when we signed up our son for football, and I'm going to tell you that way doesn't work."
Frank Cutinella, father of Tom Cutinella, a high school football player who died after a helmet to helmet hit.
When reading the article, please keep this statement by Dr. Doug Casa of the Korey Stringer Institute in mind,
"Nearly all of the causes of death in sport are influenced by the care [provided] in the first five to seven minutes." (Ref)
The Scariest Part of This Story - League Sports
What I have just discussed applies ONLY to the kids that play high school sports. What about league sports? Twice as many kids participate in league sports as compared to high school sports.
High School Sports stats - over 7 million youth athletes
League Sports stats - 20 to 40 million youth athletes
By and large, league sports have no sports safety training requirements for coaches. NONE! No ATCs, no education for coaches, and not even a sports physical is required for participation.
Here is a story about a youth soccer player who was saved thanks to several bystanders in the stands. Neither coach knew what to do! There was no plan and neither coach was properly trained or prepared! Read here.
Virtually no league implements an Emergency Action Plan. Some schools have one on a webpage or in a manual, but where is it when the coach needs it?
Does the coach know the field address?
Who runs onto the field to care for the athlete?
Who calls 9-1-1?
What do you tell the operator?
Do you have the child's emergency medical information and contact information immediately available?
Who cares for the rest of the team, who meets the ambulance?
Who travels with the child in the ambulance?
When the coach runs onto the field to care for the injured athlete, what does he/she do?
Is the injured child responsive or unresponsive, face up or face down, breathing or not breathing? Do they have a helmet on? Do you take it off?
Are you able to remove the facemask? How?
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