Bryant High School is the recipient of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Safe Sports School award. The award recognizes secondary schools that provide safe environments for student athletes and reinforces the importance of providing the best level of care, injury prevention and treatment.
Bryant’s Athletic Trainer Christa Finney leads the district in implementing safe sports policies and best practices. Standards include keeping 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. Appropriate care is in place to prevent, manage and treat injuries should they occur.
Schools may earn a 1st Team or 2nd Team Safe Sports School award. 1st Team awards are given to schools that have acted on all recommended and required elements of the Safe Sports School checklist. 2nd Team awards are for school that have completed only required elements. Bryant High School has achieved 1st team status.
In order to achieve Safe Sport School status, as Bryant High School 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.