Dawson High School is a renewal recipient of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) Safe Sports School award for its athletic training program for the 3rd consecutive time.
The award acknowledges safety and recognizes secondary schools that have met the recommended standards to improve safety in sports. It also reinforces the importance of providing the best level of care, injury prevention and treatment to student-athletes. Additionally, DHS is a recipient of the Southwest Athletic Trainer Association NATA Safe Sport School Grant.
“Dawson High School Sports Medicine is honored to receive this 1st Team recognition from NATA,” said Class of 2012 Alumni of Dawson High School and current Head Athletic Trainer, Christina Fry. “DHS is committed to keeping our student-athletes safe during athletic activities, team practices and competitions as it has been a standard of ours engrained in us by my mentor and the people before me. Our priority is to allow athletes to accomplish their own goals of great competition, winning records and fair sportsmanship while remaining in good health and safe surroundings. Our goal is to lead our athletic programs to the highest safety standards for our players and performing the gold standard of medical care for all our student-athletes. The FAMILY we care for every day gives us the encouragement and strength to continuously provide the highest quality of care for all.”
In order to achieve Safe Sports School status, as Dawson 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 about the potential benefits and risks in sports as well as their responsibilities
To apply, schools complete an in-depth questionnaire that assesses adherence to best practice standards and recommendations. For more information about the Safe Sports School Award, please visit www.athletictrainers.org.
About the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) – Health Care for Life & Sport
Athletic trainers are health care professionals who specialize in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of injuries and sport-related illnesses. They prevent and treat chronic musculoskeletal injuries from sports, physical and occupational activity, and provide immediate care for acute injuries. Athletic trainers offer a continuum of care that is unparalleled in health care. The National Athletic Trainers’ Association represents and supports more than 40,000 members of the athletic training profession. For more information, visit www.nata.org. At Your Own Risk is NATA’s public awareness campaign designed to educate, provide resources and equip the public to act and advocate for safety in work, life, and sport. In an effort to provide comprehensive information, the association has launched a website that provides recommendations on keeping student athletes and communities active and employees safe on the job. Visit www.AtYourOwnRisk.org.
