Creating a Safe Playing Environment for Your Athletes

Author: NCSS Information Team

As a coach, you are ultimately responsible for the safety of your athletes. Creating a safe playing environment for your students can significantly reduce the number and severity of injuries during your practices and games. The National Center for Sports Safety has outlined a few guidelines to help you create a safe playing environment.

Develop an emergency action plan and make sure all of your assisting coaches are familiar with the emergency procedures.
Always have an accessible, working phone at practice and at games to ensure that emergency personnel can be contacted quickly in case of an emergency.
Make sure that your first aid kit is with you at all practices and games.
Always have water or sports drinks available for your athletes, giving them numerous breaks to prevent dehydration.
Examine your playing fields, courts and other surfaces before practice and games for potentially dangerous obstacles such as holes, loose tiles, buckled wood, wet spots and sharp objects.
Regularly check the players safety equipment before practice to make sure it is put on correctly and that nothing is cracked or missing pieces. If equipment is damaged, do not let the athlete use it.
Make sure to store unused equipment away from the playing field so that no one trips over it while playing.
Encourage your athletes to be aware of any unsafe playing conditions and report them to you.