:: SportsSafety.org/Press Corner/
Alabama High School Athletic Association And National Center For Sports Safety Mandate Cpr For All Coaches
Author: NCSS Information Team
Montgomery, AL — The Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) and its Central Board mandated today that all coaches in the AHSAA carry a current CPR card to maintain his or her eligibility with the Association. This mandate brings the AHSAA to a new level nationwide in the area of sports safety, as there are currently only nine other states that mandate current CPR certification for all coaches.
Cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) combines the knowledge and skills of which supply oxygen to the brain and organs until advanced life support can be obtained. Participants attend approximately a four hour course which includes a video component, skill based practice and written examination. Skills practice includes techniques such as opening an airway, assessing breathing, providing rescue breathing, identifying signs of circulation, and providing chest compression.
In conjunction with the National Center for Sports Safety (NCSS), the AHSAA will be providing training for all coaches statewide. The NCSS has provided training for nearly 1,000 coaches in Alabama since its inception last year and has a network of nearly 90 instructors throughout HEALTHSOUTH facilities in Alabama. This network among other groups affiliated with the NCSS will work with the AHSAA to arrange means for all coaches to obtain their CPR certification.
“We always emphasize safety in our athletic program, so adding this requirement for all our coaches will enable them not only to provide emergency care for their own players but also for the entire community where they live,” said Dan Washburn, AHSAA Executive Director.
“By mandating CPR for all coaches, we provide our athletes, schools and communities with an army of coaches who are trained to recognize and provide life saving skills,” states Lawrence J. Lemak, M.D., founder of the NCSS. “Since the inception of the NCSS we know of two cases where CPR saved the life of a child and those two are worth any and all efforts we have placed into the organization and training,” adds Lemak.
The National Center for Sports Safety was founded to promote the importance of injury prevention and safety on all levels of youth sports through education and research.
For more information, please contact Dan Washburn, AHSAA Executive Director at (334)242-5654 or April Shores Morin, NCSS Executive Director at (205) 930-7767.