Apr 6, 2015

NC Ups Mandated Coverage

High schools in North Carolina will now be required to have a licensed athletic trainer or a “lesser-trained first responder” on hand during all football practices and games thanks to a new State Board of Education policy.

As reported by WNCN.com:

• The new policy mandates that these treatment workers must be CPR- and first aid-certified, and trained in concussion management and injury prevention
• This individual cannot be a member of the team’s coaching staff
• While the policy is directed specifically at football, it also asks school districts to have emergency workers at practices and games for all high school and middle school teams—though this last part is not required
• There is no timeline for when it must be in place

While the North Carolina High School Athletic Association does not track injury data for its student-athletes, a recent University of Colorado study, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, found that football had the highest injury rates of all high school sports.