District 230 Receives National Athletic Trainers' Association Safe Sports School Award

Consolidated High School District 230 schools are the recipients of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Safe Sports School award. 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.Sandburg, Stagg and Andrew High Schools are the second, third and fourth high schools in Illinois to earn this national award.

“District 230 is honored to receive this first team recognition from NATA, and we remain committed to keeping our student athletes safe during physical education classes, 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 Superintendent Dr. James M. Gay.

Physical activity is very important for our youth, according to NATA president Jim Thornton, MS, ATC, CES. “There has been an increase in competitive sports, which are, unfortunately, not without risk. Brain injury/concussion, cardiac arrest, heat illness, exertional sickling, cervical spine fractures and other injuries and illnesses are potentially life-threatening.” Proper planning with proper equipment and personnel is vital to the safety of student athletes today, he notes.

In order to achieve Safe Sport School status, as District 230 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.

Caption:

District 230 Athletic Trainers (center) Dave Kreis, Kristin Pila and Phil Dryer were recognized for earning the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Safe Sports School Award by the School Board including Tony Serratore, Susan Dalton, Kathy Quilty, Superintendent Dr. James M. Gay, Patrick O’Sullivan, Kate Murphy Peterson, Melissa Gracias and Rick Nogal..