Dec 21, 2020NATA Recognized as a NYSS Champion by President’s Council
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is pleased to recognize National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) as a National Youth Sports Strategy (NYSS) Champion. The NYSS, released in September 2019, called for a national strategy to increase youth sports participation. The NYSS is the first Federal roadmap with actionable strategies to increase participation in youth sports, increase awareness of the benefits of youth sports participation, monitor and evaluate youth sports participation, and recruit and engage volunteers in youth sports programming.
NYSS aims to unite U.S. youth sports culture around a shared vision: that one day all youth will have the opportunity, motivation, and access to play sports — regardless of their race, ethnicity, sex, ability, or ZIP code. NYSS Champions represent organizations that are working towards achieving this vision.
As a NYSS Champion, NATA has demonstrated their organization’s support of youth sports and commitment to the NYSS vision. NATA is recognized along with other NYSS Champions on health.gov as part of a growing network of organizations partnering with HHS to improve the youth sports landscape in America.
As a NYSS Champion, NATA will support the vision of the National Youth Sports Strategy in the following ways:
- Establish and enforce appropriate safety practices and protocols to reduce the risk of injury, and ensure that appropriate safety equipment is accessible and used correctly.
- Encourage sport sampling (playing more than one sport throughout the year) to mitigate overuse injuries.
- Develop partnerships across a variety of sectors, including business, community recreation, education, government, health care, media, public health, sports, and technology.
“We know children who obtain regular physical activity gain important physical and mental health benefits, which are more important than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic,” explains ADM Brett Giroir, M.D., Assistant Secretary for Health at HHS. “I’m thrilled to acknowledge the work of the NYSS Champions who are furthering the mission of the NYSS and helping to foster a lifelong love of sports and physical activity for our Nation’s youth.”
“To be among some of the first organizations named a National Youth Sports Strategy Champion by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is an honor,” said NATA President Tory Lindley, MA, ATC. “It is outstanding to know that the athletic training profession and by extension athletic trainers are being recognized at the highest level as health care providers and for their critical role in the health and safety of youth athletes.”
Athletic trainers are health care professionals that prevent, diagnose, treat, and rehabilitate injuries for active people in many industries, including sports, military, and clinical practice.
*This is an issued press release from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA).
