Five Western Indiana High School Programs Receive National Athletic Trainers' Association Safe Sports School Award

LAFAYETTE, Indiana - Attica High School, Crawfordsville High School, Kankakee Valley, North White High School and Southmont High School are the recipients of the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) Safe Sports School award. 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.

"We are honored for these five schools to receive this 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. Currently, nine of the area high schools we partner with have been awarded the Safe Sports School Award with more to come. Our goal is to lead athletics programs to the highest safety standards for all participants," said Craig Voll, manager of Franciscan Health Sports Medicine in Western Indiana.

"We remain committed to the health and welfare of young athletes in competitive sports," says NATA President Tory Lindley, MA, ATC. "This award recognizes the contributions and commitment of schools across the country that are implementing safe sports policies and best practices to ensure athletes can do what they love best and have the appropriate care in place to prevent, manage and treat injuries should they occur."

In order to achieve Safe Sport School status, athletic programs must do the following:

• Create a positive athletic healthcare 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; and
• Be sure athletes and parents are educated of the potential benefits and risks in sports as well as their responsibilities.

The Sports Medicine program through Franciscan Health in Western Indiana offers services for clients of all ages grade school to high school, college to professional, and adults. Athletes receive training methods and techniques that will lead to athletic and individual improvement. Franciscan Health oversees sports medicine programs in Western Indiana at the following schools: Benton Central, Carroll, Central Catholic, Clinton Prairie, Faith Christian, Frankfort, Lafayette Jefferson, Twin Lakes, West Lafayette, Attica, Covington, Fountain Central, Frontier, North White, Rossville, Seeger,  Tecumseh Middle School, Tri-County, North Montgomery High School, Northridge Middle School, South Montgomery High School and Middle School, Crawfordsville High School and Middle School, Covenant Christian, Kankakee Valley, North Newton High School, South Newton High School, West Central and Rensselaer Central.