History
In 2001, the National Center for Sports Safety (NCSS), a non-profit, was founded by renowned orthopedic surgeon Lawrence J. Lemak, M.D. NCSS was created to promote the importance of injury prevention and safety on all levels of youth sports through education and research.
To raise national safety standards and discuss the growing concerns of youth sports, the NCSS held a “Setting the Standard” Summit in Birmingham, Alabama (2002). The purpose was to “Raise the Standard” in youth sports through sports safety awareness. The summit was a success and over 30 delegates, from across the country, came together to collaborate their expertise and to develop content for a sports safety course.
Two years later, after intensive research and content development, the NCSS launched a sports safety course called PREPARE. PREPARE educates coaches, volunteers, parents, and anyone who is responsible for an athlete vital skills that could help save a child’s life on the playing field or court.
The NCSS teaches the PREPARE course to educate coaches on sports safety skills in a hands-on setting, and in as little as three hours they can gain confidence and knowledge to prevent and respond to injuries and emergency situations until a qualified medical professional arrives. An alternative to the hands-on class is the online course. The online course, available at http://www.SportsSafety.org, is designed with time flexibility by allowing users to log on and log off at their convenience.
In 2007, the NCSS achieved their 501(c) (3) status after satisfying state and federal requirements.
The NCSS continues to partner with many National Governing Bodies, youth leagues, and state high school athletic associations to educate coaches on the importance of sports safety.
In 2010, the NCSS produced a parent and athlete video to educate parents and athletes on preventative measures and ways to be proactive in youth sports safety. The 16-minute video covers five essential topics that parents and athletes need to be familiar with in the event of an emergency on the field or court. The video includes information regarding concussions, pre-participation physicals, cardiac and genetic disorders, heat illnesses and staph (Staphylococcus aureus)/ MRSA infections. The parent and athlete video has been reviewed and approved by the AHSAA medical advisory committee and can be viewed free of charge at http://www.sportssafety.org/free-video/ .
Each year the NCSS continues to expand by educating coaches, parents and volunteers in basic safety techniques and emergency responses to ensure the playing fields and courts are safe for youth athletes across the nation.
-Lawrence J. Lemak, M.D., founder of the NCSS, “There is not one parent that would drop their child off at a local community pool if there were not a certified lifeguard on duty. That same standard of care should be available for every sports facility in this country. If we can prevent just one fatality or injury, it will be worth the effort.”
