Pasadena High School Receives National Athletic Trainers’ Association Safe Sports School Award
Pasadena High School has been named the recipient of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) Safe Sports School award. The school is being recognized for implementing multiple safety measures that cater to the whole student, mentally, emotionally and physically.
The award recognizes secondary schools that have met the recommended standards to improve safety in sports. The award reinforces the importance of providing the best level of care, injury prevention, and treatment.
“The health and safety of student-athletes is critical as it has both immediate and long-term effects,” said NATA President Tory Lindley, MA, ATC. “NATA created the ‘Safe Sports School Award’ to recognize and champion schools nationwide that are committed to enhancing safety in sports. We are proud to see the list of award recipients grow exponentially each year as schools see the immense value in holding themselves to best practices and policies that ensure a high standard of athlete care.”
In order to achieve Safe Sports School status, athletic programs must:
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Create a positive athletic health care administrative system;
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Provide or coordinate pre-participation physical examinations;
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Promote safe and appropriate practice and competition facilities;
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Plan for selection, fit function and proper maintenance of athletic equipment;
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Provide a permanent, appropriately equipped area to evaluate and treat injured athletes;
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Develop injury and illness prevention strategies, including protocols for environmental conditions;
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Provide or facilitate injury intervention;
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Create and rehearse a venue-specific Emergency Action Plan;
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Provide or facilitate psychosocial consultation and nutritional counseling/education;
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Be sure athletes and parents are educated about the potential benefits and risks in sports as well as their responsibilities.
The application process involved completion of an in-depth questionnaire that assesses adherence to best practice standards and recommendations.
For more information about the Safe Sports School Award, please visit
www.athletictrainers.org. For more information on NATA visit
www.nata.org.