Pictured receiving the award at the Abilene High School (AHS) football game October 19th, from left to right, are: Harold Courtois, Memorial Health System (MHS) CEO; Jeff Sanborn, MHS Rehabilitation & Sports Medicine Director; Justin Clark, AHS Athletic Trainer from MHS Rehabilitation & Sports Medicine; Brandi McGivney, AHS Nurse; Will Burton, AHS Athletic Director and Assistant Principal; and Dr. Brian Holmes with MHS. AHS received a certificate and a banner recognizing the achievement.
Program recognizes high schools that help to keep young athletes safe
Abilene High School is the recipient of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) Safe Sports School award for its Abilene Cowboy Football program. The award champions safety and recognizes secondary schools that provide safe environments for student athletes. The award reinforces the importance of providing the best level of care, injury prevention and treatment.
“Abilene High School is honored to receive this 1st Team recognition from NATA, and we remain committed to keeping our student athletes safe during team practices and games so they can accomplish their own goals of great competition, winning records, fair sportsmanship, and good health. Our goal is to lead our athletics program to the highest safety standards for our players,” said Justin Clark, Abilene High School Athletic Trainer from Memorial Health System Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine.
“We remain committed to the health and welfare of young athletes in competitive sports,” says NATA President Scott Sailor, EdD, ATC. “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.”
In order to achieve Safe Sport School status, as Abilene 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 45,000 members of the athletic training profession. Visit www.nata.org.