Justification vs. Reality
Youth sport organizations often do not realize the importance of sports safety education for volunteer coaches. Sports safety education is vital to any successful season and every youth sports organization should adopt it to ensure the safe of their athletes.
Justification
Reality
The paramedics are only three miles away from our fields.
Paramedics are just one piece of the puzzle if a child becomes injured. Who will control the scene? Who will go to the hospital with the athlete? What if the parents cannot be reached? All of these questions should be addressed.
We have many parents with a medical background so if something happens they will be there to help.
These types of parents are a valuable resource, but there is no guarantee that they will attend every practice and game.
Our coaches are required to attend a clinic that educates them on how to teach athletes the right techniques of the sport.
Teaching specific drills and technique is very important to the development athletes. However, even when taught correctly, athletes can still develop injuries that can worsen if not recognized. Stress fractures and “tennis elbow” are just two examples of over-use or chronic injuries that can sideline athletes for weeks at a time if not addressed.
We can't ask our coaches to volunteer their time and then require them to purchase this course.
Consider incorporating Sport Safety Education into the overall costs of your organization. Like uniforms and equipment, sports safety education should be a requirement before play can begin.
Our coaches are volunteers, so we can not require them to become educated.
Youth safety cannot be compromised, for a minute, or even a second. It is up to the leaders in youth sports to make the safety of our athletes a top priority.