Mission: Improving Youth Sport Safety

Advocates for Injured Athletes is just one of many foundations that’s mission is to improve the sport safety experience for all young athletes.  Beth and A4IA got its start after Tommy survived a potentially fatal neck injury and concussion while other organizations get their start after a tragedy (Taylor Hooten Foundation, Matthew Gfeller Foundation, Eric Paredes Save a Life Foundation, Kendrick Fincher Memorial Foundation, Korey Stringer Institute among others).  In the end, no matter the specific mission of the foundation, or how it got its start, the end goal for all these groups (and the countless others not mentioned here) is to reduce the number of sport-related deaths in our youth.  Thinking about this mission and the recent story of Dayle Wood, along with the “saves” performed by ASA Ambassadors I am proud to have even a small role in educating coaches, parents and athletes alike in how to be better prepared to help young athletes in distress.  I would like to think that the combined efforts of everyone working toward this goal has in some way prevented many tragedies and saved families and communities from the heartache that can result. 

As I’ve read the paper over the last few months with fall sports seasons well under way I felt like I was still reading many more stories about young people who have left us way too soon and far fewer stories about individuals who had survived a potential tragedy.  My initial reaction is:  we still have much work to do.  There are parents, coaches and administrators to educate, athletic trainers to advocate for and continued efforts needed to maintain youth sport safety as a priority in our local communities.  This initial reaction is what keeps me going with A4IA and expanding its efforts, but I realized we may need to look a little closer to find the positive effects of the youth sports safety movement.

Further reflection caused me to realize that perhaps I’m reading more about tragedies and less about survivors because the opportunities for tragedy has decreased.  What if the work being done isn’t only preparing providers to act appropriately in an emergency, but what if the potential for a tragedy is being reduced (and ultimately eliminated)?  Perhaps the old saying, “an ounce of prevention, is worth a pound of cure” is really true.  The funny thing is, it is difficult to know how many emergencies were prevented since they never happened.   Despite this I would argue preventing an emergency from happening is always the better course as opposed to an emergency you are ill equipped to manage.  In the end, planning and preparation are your best keys to prevention.  What have you done today to prevent an emergency with your child?  Team?  School? League?  Are you prepared to prevent an emergency today?  I hope there comes a day where everyone can answer “yes” with confidence.

In order to gather my thoughts for this post I took about thirty minutes and did an Internet search for young athletes who suffered a potentially fatal injury while participating in fall sports (August –September 2013) and I found one survival story in Dayle Wood, but found these tragedies:

Milo Meeks, 18, basketball player

September 20, 2013

Collapsed in HS cafeteria following a run around the school track.  Had previously been cleared through an annual sports physical to compete on the basketball team.  Cause of death currently unknown, believed to be SCA.

Allison Trebesch, 13, swimmer/diver

September 19, 2013

Cause of death to be determined and other details were not released.  It is unclear whether her passing was sport-related at this time.

Damon Janes, 16, football

September 17, 2013

Lost consciousness on the sideline after taking a helmet-to-helmet hit during a football game.

Cameron Espinosa, 12, football

September 16, 2013

Had an allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to fire ant bites during a game.

Ben Richards, college wrestling

September 14, 2013

Suffered exertional heat illness during wrestling practice, team training.

Antwon Whitehead, 15, basketball

September 7, 2013

Collapsed while playing pickup basketball in a local gym.  Family has history of “enlarged heart” (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy) and HCM was found to be cause of death.

Marissa Miller, 12, soccer

September 5, 2013

Collapsed during a soccer game and it was determined that she suffered SCA.

Gekobe Hunter, high school basketball

August 30, 2013

Had just starting playing a pickup basketball game when he collapsed, cause of death unknown, but believed to be SCA.

Tyler Lewellen, 16, football

August 27, 2013

Collapsed on the sideline after making a tackle.  The exact cause of his death has yet to be determined.

Deantre Turman, football

August 16, 2013

Fractured his neck during a football scrimmage.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the families, teammates and communities who are still dealing with the loss of these young people and hope someday soon there will be far fewer of these tragedies to report in the local news.  I acknowledge that this list may be incomplete (as sometimes searching on the Internet is not an exact science) and so I send condolences to those communities who may be suffering from a loss that I’m unaware of.  In the end, I look forward to continuing to work with all those like Beth and A4IA until athletes of all ages and all competitive levels can compete and play safely.

Submitted by Heather L. Clemons, MS, MBA, ATC

A4IA Featured in Wall Street Journal Article

A Wall Street Journal article published on September 16, 2013 brings attention to cervical spine injuries in high school sports and recent tragedies.  The article features A4IA and the work we're doing through the ASA Program to educate students on how to recognize such injuries,  The hope is these efforts will help prevent cervical spine injuries and have a more positive outcome in situations where these injuries do occur.

To read the entire article, click HERE.

Submitted by Heather L. Clemons, MS, MBA, ATC

Athletes Saving Athletes Sponsor: Cymer, Inc.

Advocates for Saving Athletes™ is the trademark program of Advocates for Injured Athletes.  This peer-to-peer education program has taught students all over San Diego how to recognize potentially life-threatening injuries in their teammates.  Most recently two ASA™ ambassadors have saved a life with the skills they learned.  It’s obvious the program has made an impact in San Diego.  This would not have been possible without the help of program sponsors such as San Diego-based company, Cymer.  Advocates for Injured Athletes would like to take time this week to thank Cymer for its support of the ASA™ program as it continues to grow.

Cymer is a San Diego technology company that employs over 1300 employees worldwide (approx. 800 in San Diego) with a very strong culture of supporting the local community.  Cymer has logged 2300 volunteer hours in the last year and employees can be seen giving back to the community on a regular basis.  Cymer supports 40 local events and 20 regional events annually including the San Diego Zoo Food & Wine Festival, UCSD Luau and Longboard Invitational (a cancer research fundraiser) and the San Diego Festival of Science and Engineering just to name a few.  Since 2005, Cymer has spent $6 million on a variety of projects and grants in the San Diego area.  Advocates for Injured Athletes has been a fortunate recipient of some of Cymer’s resources since 2011.

Cymer eagerly partnered with Advocates for Injured Athletes in 2011 because it was a “different spin” on the usual grant requests they receive.  The request wasn’t just about money to fund a one-time project.  Cymer realized supporting the ASA™ program meant supporting something that would have a long-term impact in the community because of its educational focus.  Knowledge is power and in the case of ASA™, knowing what to do could actually save lives.  It’s been exciting from Cymer’s perspective to see Advocates for Injured Athletes continue to grow and work to expand the program beyond San Diego.

Grant funding from Cymer has allowed Advocates for Injured Athletes to update all aspects of the ASA™ program including program audio, videos and handouts.  The primary promotional video, as well as many of the other video resources available on Advocates for Injured Athletes YouTube Channel were sponsored in part by Cymer.  Other videos in the works include A4IA’s hands-only CPR video.  Finally, the ASA™ program has been so successful here in San Diego that funding from Cymer will help the ASA™ program expand to other cities around the US.  This expansion means being able to find and train additional program instructors and educate more students, broadening the impact of A4IA and ASA™ into a national program. 

In the end, all non-profits depend on the donations and grants from the community to support their work.  It has been the privilege of Advocates for Injured Athletes to be supported by Cymer, a local corporation that has made a commitment to improving the community where they work and live.  Thank you for realizing the potential of Advocates for Injured Athletes and the ASA™ programs and we look forward to a continued relationship. 

Submitted by Heather L. Clemons, MS, MBA, ATC

Will James Featured in ESPN’s Outside the Lines

 It will be three years almost to the day since Will suffered heat stroke at the end of a Pulaski High School football practice on August 13, 2010.  Thanks to the quick actions of his athletic trainer who moved him into the showers and began cooling him with water and ice Will is focusing on his future.  He is currently a sophomore at the University of Arkansas and hopes to attend law school.  Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Tyler Davenport, another Arkansas high school football player who suffered heat stroke at the same time as Will and did not survive.  In spending some time speaking with Will it is obvious how much his recovery and Tyler’s death has motivated him to educate others about how to prevent heat illness. Will says, “Heat illness is 100% preventable.  Every time I do an interview I am honoring Tyler’s memory and helping people understand that there are consequences for not knowing what to do.”

Since Will’s injury he has become involved in several organizations that promote heat illness prevention and has been featured on television programs on the topic.  You are already familiar with him as an original ASA™ ambassador for Advocates for Injured Athletes, but he is also very involved with the Kendrick Fincher Hydration Foundation.  This foundation was started by Rhonda Fincher following the death of her son on August 25, 1995 from heat stroke following a junior high school football practice in Rogers, Arkansas.  The Foundation focuses specifically on preventing heat illness and Will has worked closely with this organization, telling his story in hopes of helping others.

Will was contacted by Advocates for Injured Athletes to film a video regarding his experience with heat illness and to help others prevent and treat the condition, making him a founding ASA™ ambassador.  The video filming was a three-day event that involved his coaches, teammates and his entire family working hard in the August heat.  Will’s mom opened her home to the San Diego-based film crew during the entire filming process.  The end result was a film that is shown at every ASA™ program and has already been viewed by approximately 1500 athletes.  Athletes know what to do because of Will and his video and A4IA hopes that the video will be seen by every middle school and high school athlete in the country.  Advocates for Injured Athletes and its founder Beth Mallon are forever grateful and thankful for the time and effort Will and his family put in to making the heat illness video and the ASA™ program such a success.  As Beth Mallon says, “He is a gifted speaker and tells a genuine, compelling story that athletes listen to!”

Patti James, Doug Casa, Will James
in 2011 at Arkansas ATA Annual
Meeting

Will was most recently featured on ESPN’s Outside the Lines (originally aired August 11, 2013 at 9p EST) in a piece titled, “Heat Stroke”.  The airing discusses the connection between heat illness and football and the research that is being done to prevent it.  Along with featuring Will and Tyler’s stories, it discusses Korey Stringer and speaks with the Korey Stringer Institute’s Doug Casa, Chief Operating Officer, in an effort to understand where we've been and where we’re going in our efforts to prevent heat illness in all sports, but especially football.  You can check out ESPN’s website to see when the episode will be re-aired.

He was previously featured on PBS’s Frontline in a piece titled, “Football High”, taking a look inside the high profile nature of many high school football programs around the country.  Asking the question, “Is it worth the risk?”  The piece touches on the many potential dangers of high school football ranging from concussions to heat illness.  This programming originally aired in 2011, but is still available online by clicking HERE.  

In my brief interaction with Will, he admitted that the first year following his injury was tough, he just wanted to put it behind him.  Now, telling his story is much easier and he realizes telling his story means telling Tyler’s.  Will and Tyler’s stories will always be connected, not just because they were both admitted to Children’s Hospital in Little Rock together, but because Will is so committed to honoring Tyler’s memory.  Will remains in touch with the Davenport’s today and visit’s Tyler’s resting place every chance he gets. 

The power of storytelling is evident in Will’s efforts and the number of untold athletes he’s helped understand the dangers of heat illness.  Never has a story made it so clear that knowledge is power.  Knowing what to do can make all the difference. 

Heat illness IS 100% preventable. 

Do YOU know what to do?

Submitted by Heather L. Clemons, MS, MBA, ATC

A special thanks to Will James for taking the time to speak with me by phone in order to write this piece.  It was my privilege to meet such a great young man who is willing to relive his story in an effort to help others.

Over $4K Raised during the Annual Running with the Buckeyes Event!

Advocates for Injured Athletes, like any other non-profit organization depends heavily on donations and fundraising to support its programming, including Athletes Saving Athletes (TM).  A4IA is always thankful for the donations and other forms of support it receives from all those willing to promote its work.  This week A4IA would like to specifically thank Alexis Heimert and The Ohio State University Athletic Training Club for their hard working during the 4th Annual Running with the Buckeyes event. 

The event, a 5K race, was held on March 24, 2013 in a effort to promote National Athletic Training Month by raising money to support A4IA.  The event was a success, raising over $4,000, the highest total since the event began.  

For those of you wondering how OSU got connected with A4IA, Alex and the rest of the group found out about A4IA through the Facebook page and Tommy’s video.  They did more research to learn about the organization and its goals.  The club, impressed by A4IA’s desire to promote the profession of athletic training, a primary purpose of the club, decided to help.  They felt it was their responsibility as future professionals to advocate for organization that promotes their profession through public education, pushing for increased access to athletic trainers, and the important role athletic trainers play in athletic health care.

If you're a runner and would like to support A4IA through your running pursuits, join TEAM ASA by contacting Advocates for Injured Athletes at injuredathletes@yahoo.com.  Coming soon is the t-shirt shop so you'll be able to wear your support for A4IA very soon! Keep checking the website, www.injuredathletes.org and our Facebook page for more details.  

CHECK OUT THESE PHOTOS FROM THE RUNNING WITH THE BUCKEYES EVENT!

Submitted by Heather L. Clemons, MS, MBA, ATC

Drew Babb's Incredible Journey from Arapahoe High School Lax Star to Denver Defenseman

How many athletes can you think of who have been forced to take three years off due to injury or sickness, only to come back stronger and start in their return to their respective sport? I can only think of one – Drew Babb, Senior Defenseman for the University of Denver Lacrosse team.

Drew Babb had just finished his high school career at Arapahoe High School where he was a four-year varsity letterman, a two-time All-State selection, an All-American as a mid-fielder, and a team captain who led his team to a state championship title in 2009. He was slated to play Division I lacrosse at the University of Denver, where he would presumably continue the immense success that he had in high school. Babb’s future coach at the University of Denver, Bill Tierney, was expecting nothing less of the talented, high school phenom.           

“He was a guy you couldn’t stop gushing about,” Coach Tierney told Lax Magazine in an interview last year. “What a great player this kid was.”

Unfortunately for Drew, the story was not going to go quite like that. Drew had been competing with neck pain in his senior season at Arapahoe after his neck began to swell in February of 2009. He was in and out of the doctor’s office for the next few months after repeated failed attempts to treat the swelling. Drew’s doctor had him take a full biopsy on July 1^st after graduating from high school. The day after, Drew was watching TV when his father walked back into the house shortly after he was supposed to have left for work and passed on grave news to him from his doctor – Drew had been diagnosed with Stage I Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Drew’s father received the results and delivered the news to his son. Drew was more shocked than panicked when he heard the news.

“When my Dad told me the news, he was very positive about it. It was very comforting to know how good it was that we caught it that early,” Drew told me over the phone.

Drew subsequently went through five months of chemotherapy while taking classes at the University of Denver during his freshman year. When asked about the difficulties of managing a college course load and attending practices along with the chemotherapy, Drew downplayed it and attributed his ability to manage the work to the administration and professors at DU. There are no classes at DU on Fridays, so Drew would receive chemo Friday, wait for the nausea to subside, and return to class on Monday.

“I would miss classes on Mondays occasionally, especially later in the treatment when the nausea was worse,” Drew commented.

At the end of this five-month period, the doctors could find no trace of the cancer. However, during the third round of his chemo, another obstacle blocked Drew’s path on his way to recovery. Like most cancer patients who endure chemotherapy, Drew lost his hair and was very nauseous. Although, in addition to the other symptoms, Drew had exceptionally bad body aches in his hips. He would later find out that the reason for this was Avascular Necrosis, which is a condition that was deteriorating Drew’s right hipbone because of a lack of blood supply. This meant a year’s worth of inactivity according to Drew’s doctors – thus ending his hopes of playing his freshman year at the University of Denver.

Even after being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s, Drew was expecting to be able to play in the spring of his freshman year. When he found out he had AVN in his right hip, he thought he would at least be ready to play by his sophomore year. When he was rehabbing in the summer of 2010, a week before the fall practices began, the doctors informed Drew that his right hipbone was growing back on schedule; however, the AVN was infecting his left hip as well, and it was not healing like his right hip did. Thus, the doctors drilled holes in Drew’s hips to increase blood flow to expedite bone regeneration. Unluckily for Drew, this meant that his collegiate career was being cut in half because he would not be able to play his sophomore season either.

Although Drew had not been cleared to play for two years, he was still around his teammates and assisting the team in whatever way he could. To stay in shape in the fall of 2010, Drew swam. As time went on, he began to use the stationary bike and the elliptical, but until he had his final bone scan, he would not be able to run unless it was evident that the AVN had disappeared and his hipbones were growing back.

When asked about the frustration of being on the sidelines, Drew said, “It was definitely frustrating, especially sophomore year it got tougher. I was expecting all freshman year to be able to play that season, and it didn’t happen.”

In February of his sophomore year, Drew received news from the doctors that he would be able to play again.

“The week leading up to those scans was the most uncomfortable week I felt throughout the whole experience of not being able to play, and that includes being diagnosed with cancer and going through chemotherapy. Because, essentially, [the scan] was going to determine whether or not I would ever be able to run again.”

That week, Drew met with Coach Tierney in what turned out to be one of the most calming and helpful conversations that Drew would have throughout his treatments. Coach Tierney asked Drew how he was doing, and Drew said he was nervous. Coach Tierney told Drew he may not understand why all of this stuff was happening to him now, but he will someday.

“That really helped me get back to that comfort level. Whether I can play or not was not up to me,” stated Drew after talking about the assurance of Coach Tierney’s words.

Drew always tried to stay positive about the whole process.  He is very open about his faith as a Christian, and it was that faith and the Christian household he grew up in that really helped him get through all of the hardships and stay positive. He stated that it was God’s plan, and that he will do what he can, but ultimately will trust in what God has in store for him.

Even after Drew was informed he would play again, that did not mean he was free of the challenges that being on a nationally ranked, division I lacrosse program would bring. Drew was an All-American mid-fielder in high school, but Coach Tierney was in need of defensemen when Drew’s junior year rolled around. To add even more obstacles to returning to his former self on the field, Drew was moved to close defense in the off-season after showing his propensity for the position in a scrimmage against the Denver Outlaws, the local professional lacrosse team.

When it came to switching positions, Drew just seemed happy to be back on the field and playing again. However, when he exceeded even his own expectations and saw a potential starting spot opening up for him, he began to appreciate the ability to play while also wanting to compete.

When Drew took the field for the first time since his injury, he described the day as follows:           

“It was surreal. During warm-ups, I was just looking around and realizing what I was about to do after what I had been through the past years. It was just so exciting to be playing instead of watching,” Drew said.

Evidently, it did not take Drew long to acclimate himself to playing a new position after taking two years off, because Drew started Denver’s season opener against the Ohio State Buckeyes and never looked back, starting all 16 games that season. He played through intense pain all year, and the amount he was allowed to play was at his own discretion.

In addition to the pain he felt because of the AVN, late in the regular season Drew tore his labrum and played through the pain believing it was the AVN. He went to the doctor for another scan, and was informed he would have to undergo another surgery to repair the labrum and spend six months recovering.

After yet another setback, Drew fought through it and did not allow self-pity to sink in.

“Every time I started feeling sorry for myself, I would start thinking about Tommy [Mallon] and his neck injury. I have seen friends go through things like this,” said Drew. “I did my chemo at the local children’s hospital and saw children taking chemo at ages 4 and 5. I would think about those kids going through worse diseases than me, and say if they could do it then so can I.”

Drew continues to play through the pain. When the weather changes it is especially bad, and on rare occasions he has to pull himself out of the game. At the beginning of this year, the labrum was brutal. However, as time has gone on he has gotten stronger and stronger.

“I feel stronger this year in the playoffs than I did in last year’s playoffs,” said Drew when asked about how he currently feels.

Drew and his teammates at the University of Denver play in the Lacrosse Nationals Semi-Final game against top-ranked Syracuse, and Drew likes their odds.

“We feel good about [tomorrow]. Once you get this far it is really anybody’s game,” said Drew about DU’s chances against the #1 team in Syracuse.

Drew succeeded in battling against cancer, bone deterioration, and a torn labrum just to play in tomorrow’s game, so upsetting the nation's top-ranked lacrosse team would just be like any other day for a guy like Drew.

Trevor Brown, Athletes Saving Athletes Graduate, Saves a Life

WHAT YOU KNOW MAY SAVE SOMEONE YOU KNOW!

(or in this case someone you may not)

On April 10, 2013 Trevor Brown used skills he learned as part of the ASA program to save a life.  A PRESS RELEASE in the Del Mar Times highlights his actions.  Beth Mallon and those associated with A4IA are very proud of Trevor and his willingness to help. Moments like this are the reason so many of us are involved with A4IA and the ASA program.

To learn more about Advocates for Injured Athletes, click HERE.

To learn more about Athletes Saving Athletes, click HERE.

Submitted by Heather L. Clemons, MS, MBA, ATC

National Athletic Training Month Helps Kick Start Fundraising for A4IA

As National Athletic Training Month (NATM) is now officially here I thought it would be interesting to find out what people are doing to raise awareness about athletic trainers and their important role in athletic health and safety.  I did not have to go far.  Stephenville High School in Stephenville, Texas and the Athletic Training Club at The Ohio State University has taken it upon themselves to help raise funds for A4IA.  Given A4IA’s mission of promoting the profession of athletic training and this year’s motto of “Everybody Needs and Athletic Trainer” it seems a natural fit.

I had the opportunity to speak with Kendall Goldberg, one of two athletic trainers, along with Mike Carroll at Stephenville High School who put together a t-shirt sale as part of their promotion of NATM.  Both Mike and Kendall are not only advocates for A4IA, but are very active within the NATA and Southwest Athletic Trainers’ Association (SWATA).  Their idea is to sell t-shirts that include on the front, “I 'HEART' My Athletic Trainer” in an effort to promote the need for athletic trainers in high schools.  If you are interested in a t-shirt, you can download an order form and contact Mike or Kendall (their information is available via the Stephenville HS link above).

While speaking with Kendall I learned that there is a small athletic training student program at Stephenville which includes a basic sports medicine class as well as first aid and CPR.  Additionally, Mike and Kendall work with all the athletes on campus.  It is commonplace for older students to advocate for the athletic training staff to the younger students who are hesitant to seek help or are unsure of what Mike and Kendall do.  There is another type of advocacy happening at Stephenville because of this t-shirt sale; Stephenville students are realizing how fortunate they really are to have Mike and Kendall.  They often return from away trips where there is no athletic trainer surprised and disappointed that athletic trainers are not available to them or their opponent.  These high school athletes are beginning to understand at a very young age the importance of athletic trainers.  I would argue that this awareness and understanding could lead to future parent advocates for athletic trainers at more high schools.

At The Ohio State University Alexis Heimert, Vice President and the rest of The Ohio State University Athletic Training Club are planning and participating in the 4^th annual Running with the Buckeyes, a 5K race coordinated by the group.  Each year the event promotes NATM and happens on March 24, 2013.  You can register in advance or race day.

Alex and the rest of the group found out about A4IA through the Facebook page and Tommy’s video.  They did more research to learn about the organization and its goals.  The club, impressed by A4IA’s desire to promote the profession of athletic training, a primary purpose of the club, decided to help.  They felt it was their responsibility as future professionals to advocate for organization that promotes their profession through public education, pushing for increased access to athletic trainers, and the important role athletic trainers play in athletic health care.

These are only two examples of athletic training advocacy happening this month that could use your support.  These two groups decided to help A4IA by raising money on its behalf.  If after reading this, you want to get involved it can be as simple as saying thank you to your athletic trainer for all their hard work, supporting one of the events above or checking with your local, state or regional athletic training organization to see what events they have planned.  Other events to consider:  1) write your state representative in California to support passage of AB864, state licensure for ATs, 2) check out the Far West Athletic Trainers’ Association (FWATA) site for a variety of events, or 3) come up with an event of your own! 

Grassroots advocacy can make a difference as the students at Stephenville High School and The Ohio State University have shown us.  Every little bit helps, so what will you do? 

Happy National Athletic Training Month!

Submitted by Heather L. Clemons, MS, MBA, ATC

4th Annual Youth Sports Safety Alliance Summary

The Youth Sports Safety Alliance (YSSA), founded by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA), hosted its fourth annual summit February 5-6, 2013 in Washington, DC.  YSSA, created in 2010 with the goal of “raising awareness, advancing legislation, and improve medical care for young athletes” according to their website.  The alliance currently includes over 100 members, all with this one goal in mind.  Advocates for Injured Athletes is among the alliance members and Beth Mallon was a speaker at the summit as a parent advocate.  She was among several prominent advocates and researchers who are trying to make sports participation safer for all athletes.

The summit launched the National Action Plan for Sports Safety and introduced the Student-Athlete Bill of Rights.  The primary focus was improving sports safety and achieving appropriate medical care at the secondary level.  The specific focus was on 1) cardiac events, 2) neurological injuries, 3) environmental/exertional injuries, and 4) substance-induced conditions.  Many of the speakers and others in attendance met with and lobbied legislators around these topics.

“Momentum continues to build for comprehensive action to protect student athletes.  Public interest has remained strong; however, much of the focus remains on concussion in high school athletes despite the higher number of student athletes in all grades that suffer other serious or even fatal injuries.”

                                                                        -NATA Press Release

SPEAKER LIST:

James L. Thorton, MA, ATC, CES President National Athletic Trainers' Association

Christopher Nowinski, founder Sports Legacy Institute

Douglas J. Casa, PhD, ATC, University of Connecticut; Korey Stringer Institute

Dawn Comstock, PhD, Colorado School of Public Health at University of Colorado, Denver

Beth Mallon, Founder Advocates for Injured Athletes and Alliance representative

Charles Gfeller, Esq.

Kevin Guskiewicz, PhD, ATC, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill:  Matthew Gfeller Sport Related Traumatic Brain Injury Research Center

NATIONALACTION PLAN FOR SPORTS SAFETY:

The plan includes a brief list of general recommendations as well as condition specific recommendations around cardiac events, neurological injuries, environmental/exertional injuries, and substance-induced conditions.  The general recommendations are as follows:

• Require that all schools have a comprehensive athletic health care administrative program and an athletic health care team to prevent and immediately manage injuries and illnesses.  The team consist of a physician, athletic trainer, school nurse or other health care professional and the athletic director.

• Require that all schools assure safe practice and safe play facilities appropriate to each sport to reduce accidents and the spread of disease.  Safe facilities are regularly inspected and maintained, routinely cleaned to avoid spread of disease and accessible to treatment and/or transport areas.

• Require that all schools provide permanent, appropriately equipped areas in which injured athletes may be evaluated and treated by health care professionals, because early assessment and intervention encourages proper healing and decreases the risk of re-injury.  Having a designated area is critical in the management of life- or limb-threatening conditions.

• Require that all schools have a place for confidential conversations with athletes and parents about medical issues.

• Require that all schools have a plan for selection, fit, function and proper maintenance of athletic equipment, as well as training for school staff.

• Require that all schools have injury and illness prevention strategies, including protocols for environmental conditions.  Educated personnel in every sport should understand and utilize professional guidelines for preventing and treating injuries and sports-related illnesses.

• Require that all schools inform athletes and parents of the potential risks in sports as well as their individual responsibility to avoid and minimize injuries. 

• Parents should educate themselves in the potential benefits and risks of optional protective equipment.

• Advocate for the creating of a national fatality registry of secondary school athletes who have died during or as a result of sports-related injuries, such as cardiac arrest, neurologic damage, steroid abuse, etc.

STUDENTATHLETE BILL OF RIGHTS:

Student Athletes have the right to be coached by individuals who are well trained in sport-specific safety and to be monitored by athletic health care team members.

Student Athletes have the right to equality, regular pre-participation examinations and each athlete has the right to participate under a comprehensive concussion management plan.

Student Athletes have the right to participate in sporting activities on safe, clean playing surfaces, in both indoor and outdoor facilities.

Student Athletes have the right to utilize equipment and uniforms that are safe, fitted appropriately and routinely maintained, and to appropriate personnel trained in proper removal of equipment in the case of injury.

Student Athletes have the right to participate safely in all environmental conditions where play follows approved guidelines and medical policies and procedures, with a hydration plan in place.

Student Athletes have the right to a safe playing environment with venue-specific emergency action plans that are coordinated by the athletic health care team and regularly rehearsed with local emergency personnel.

Student Athletes have the right to privacy of health information and proper referral for medical, psychosocial and nutritional counseling.

Student Athletes have the right to participate in a culture that finds “playing through pain” unacceptable unless there has been a medical assessment.

Student Athletes have the right to immediate, on-site injury assessments with decisions made by qualified sports medicine professionals.

Student Athletes have the right, along with their parents, to the latest information about the benefits and potential risks of participation in a competitive sports including access to statistics on fatalities and catastrophic injuries to youth athletes.

 When my son was injured in 2009, little did I know when rushing to the hospital that just eight months’ post injury, Tommy and I would be speaking in Sacramento, at the Capitol, to reporters and experts on sports injuries.  I know that some of you have had that same experience.  One day we’re parents, the next – parent activists.

                                                                                    -Beth Mallon

The Youth Sports Safety Alliance has come a long way since its inception 2010 and Beth and Tommy and Advocates for Injured Athletes continue to work to improve the safety conditions for young athletes all across the country whether it’s through Athletes Saving Athletes® or speaking as a parent advocate. 

"I am very humbled and proud to be involved with the NATA and the YSSA since the initial summit in 2010 when Tommy and I gave testimonials in Sacramento.  Since that time, it has been very rewarding to see the number of YSSA members grow to over 100.  In addition, we have seen student athlete fatalities drop.  I cannot help but feel when we all work together we have a much larger voice and impact on the mission of protecting student athletes.  I was honored to deliver the YSSA update and look ahead to seeing the benefits of our collective efforts for this coming year."

                                                            -Beth Mallon, following the Summit (2013)

If you’re interested in some of the press from the summit (including a video interview with Beth) check out Advocates for Injured Athletes’ Facebook page.  Additionally, for those of you who would like pdf versions of either the National Action Plan or the Student Athlete Bill of Rights feel free to contact A4IA for copies or click the links above that will take you to copies available on the YSSA website.

Submitted by Heather L. Clemons, MS, MBA, ATC