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A.B. Miller High School Receives NATA Safe Sports School Award

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A.B. Miller High School Athletic Director John Romagnoli and Athletic Trainer Heather Harvey

A.B. Miller High School is the recipient of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) Safe Sports School award for its Rebel Athletics Program. The award champions safety and recognizes secondary schools that provide safe environments for student athletes. The award reinforces the importance of providing the best level of care, injury prevention and treatment.

“A.B. Miller is honored to receive this 1st Team recognition from NATA, and we remain committed to keeping our student 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. Our goal is to lead our athletics program to the highest safety standards for our players,” said Heather Harvey, Athletic Trainer at A.B. Miller.

“Our school, through the efforts of our Athletic Director John Romagnoli and Athletic Trainer Heather Harvey (seen in photo above), has placed an emphasis on student safety and has implemented measures to ensure our student have a positive academic and athletic experience at A.B. Miller High School,” said Principal Moises Merlos.  “In addition, we understand that sports injuries are always a possibility within athletic preparation and competitions; which is why the school has invested over $30,000 in our on-campus Rehab Center. We have also established partnerships with local universities such as Laverne and Cal Baptist to provide hands-on fieldwork to graduate students working on their degrees.”

Physical activity is very important for our youth, according to NATA president Jim Thornton, MS, ATC, CES. “There has been an increase in competitive sports, which are, unfortunately, not without risk. Brain injury/concussion, cardiac arrest, heat illness, exertional sickling, cervical spine fractures and other injuries and illnesses are potentially life-threatening.” Proper planning with proper equipment and personnel is vital to the safety of student athletes today, he notes.

In order to achieve Safe Sport School status, as A.B. Miller 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

 

 

Courtesy of Heather Harvey

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Far West Athletic Trainers Association