What about every day at practice? No school with even an ounce of sense would consider letting a football practice commence without a qualified coach and yet they trust the safety of the students to people who are not specifically trained to take care of injuries. So much has been made on here about heat related illness and the mandatory training a coach has to have but unfortunately that is only 1 very small aspect of what an athletic trainer does. How many coaches know the signs and symptoms of a ruptured spleen? How about the management of a possible cervical spine fracture? If a head coach from a small rural school steps down they find a qualified replacement, even if it means going outside the community. If schools ever become really serious about hiring athletic trainers rather then making excuses about why they can't or using stop-gap personnel in a attempt to fill the void then I believe that there will be qualified people to fill the need. If I was a parent I wouldn't allow my son to play football at a school without a full-time athletic trainer.

Nice article on the Texas law passed this past Fall: http://www.ems1.com/pediatric-care/articles/1119190-Texas-football-coaches-required-to-have-concussion-oversight-team/

 

Interesting that that is on an EMS website, hummmm.

What about every day at practice? No school with even an ounce of sense would consider letting a football practice commence without a qualified coach and yet they trust the safety of the students to people who are not specifically trained to take care of injuries. So much has been made on here about heat related illness and the mandatory training a coach has to have but unfortunately that is only 1 very small aspect of what an athletic trainer does. How many coaches know the signs and symptoms of a ruptured spleen? How about the management of a possible cervical spine fracture? If a head coach from a small rural school steps down they find a qualified replacement, even if it means going outside the community. If schools ever become really serious about hiring athletic trainers rather then making excuses about why they can't or using stop-gap personnel in a attempt to fill the void then I believe that there will be qualified people to fill the need. If I was a parent I wouldn't allow my son to play football at a school without a full-time athletic trainer.

 

All Tell, I wish that all schools could at least have an ATC on hand for all football functions. I have no doubt that you are at the top of your field and would put 100% faith in any diagnosis that you made. I'm not saying that haphazardly.

However, geography plays a large part in the availability of every football school in rural areas having an ATC. As a result, those coaches have to be much more aware of what is happening with their players. The KMA course is designed to help with that. If there is a question as to if something is an issue or not, coaches/schools with safety in mind err on the side of caution and have students transported to a medical facility for diagnosis and treatment.

Edited February 6, 201214 yr by rockmom

I'm sorry but I don't buy that. How do you get teachers, coaches, principals etc. to rural schools? You search for them and you make it worth their while to go there. Is every teacher and every coach and every administrator at every rural high school a home grown product?

 

In my mind it's just a matter of deciding what's important.

Interesting that that is on an EMS website, hummmm.

 

Not a surprise. EMS websites are always giving good info.

 

What would it take for a school in Boyd County to have a paramedic at every football and/or soccer practice from June through Nov/Dec? Any idea what it would cost?

 

However, geography plays a large part in the availability of every football school in rural areas having an ATC. As a result, those coaches have to be much more aware of what is happening with their players. The KMA course is designed to help with that. If there is a question as to if something is an issue or not, coaches/schools with safety in mind err on the side of caution and have students transported to a medical facility for diagnosis and treatment.

 

Your "geography" point is a valid concern without question. However, I do not put much faith into a coach's ability to diagnose or treat a serious injury. That's not shot at them. It's not their job and it's not something you just pick up watching a KHSAA class. 90% of the time it's not an issue. The other 10%?

I'm sorry but I don't buy that. How do you get teachers, coaches, principals etc. to rural schools? You search for them and you make it worth their while to go there. Is every teacher and every coach and every administrator at every rural high school a home grown product?

 

In my mind it's just a matter of deciding what's important.

 

90% of the staff in my school IS "homegrown." Those that aren't usually don't stay longer than a few years.

 

All Tell, I respect your opinion, but you are looking at things not as an educator or administrator. There are a plethora of issues facing educators and administrators in rural schools. This is one of them.

Edited February 6, 201214 yr by rockmom

Your "geography" point is a valid concern without question. However, I do not put much faith into a coach's ability to diagnose or treat a serious injury. That's not shot at them. It's not their job and it's not something you just pick up watching a KHSAA class. 90% of the time it's not an issue. The other 10%?

 

Certainly, most coaches cannot diagnose or treat a serious injury. What they CAN do is recognize symptoms in which there is a serious injury or situation and provide for the next step in medical care.

 

In the case of heat-related illnesses, coaches can determine those, if they know the signs (as the video provided by the Kentucky Medical Association teaches). I have no doubt that coaches will err on the side of caution in these situations and treat any questionable symptoms as if there were a problem and begin treatment.

By the way, Clyde and All Tell, I challenge each of you to sign up for and view the series of videos provided by the KHSAA and KMA for coaches training. Evaluate what they ask coaches to do and whether or not it is something that they CAN do. I'd say, if you haven't seen them, that you can't validly "thumb your nose" at them.

By the way, Clyde and All Tell, I challenge each of you to sign up for and view the series of videos provided by the KHSAA and KMA for coaches training. Evaluate what they ask coaches to do and whether or not it is something that they CAN do. I'd say, if you haven't seen them, that you can't validly "thumb your nose" at them.

 

Just curious, how do you know they have not watched them?

Just curious, how do you know they have not watched them?

 

I am sure that they will tell me if they have. :lol:

Not a surprise. EMS websites are always giving good info.

 

What would it take for a school in Boyd County to have a paramedic at every football and/or soccer practice from June through Nov/Dec? Any idea what it would cost?

 

Well, that is a complex question my friend, but for one team practicing two hours a day, five days a week, for six months (Given a Paramedic's current salary at Boyd County EMS without overtime) I would estimate it to be roughly $8,000. With overtime around $11,000.

Well, that is a complex question my friend, but for one team practicing two hours a day, five days a week, for six months (Given a Paramedic's current salary at Boyd County EMS without overtime) I would estimate it to be roughly $8,000. With overtime around $11,000.

 

Do most services have enough staff to handle it?

I agree that athletic trainers are a necessity, especially with football and concussions. However, this new legislation being brought forward by Julian Carroll is absolutely ludicrous. Supposedly, it states that all coaches must be trained to not only identify but treat concussions. Under no circumstances would I want a coach treating my child for a concussion. All of America saw how a collegiate coach at a D1 school treated a concussion a few years ago at Texas Tech. A player that is identified as having a concussion should be cleared by a medical professional; not a high school coach. I can't imagine that any coach wants to make that decision. This is a lawyer's dream...

I agree that athletic trainers are a necessity, especially with football and concussions. However, this new legislation being brought forward by Julian Carroll is absolutely ludicrous. Supposedly, it states that all coaches must be trained to not only identify but treat concussions. Under no circumstances would I want a coach treating my child for a concussion. All of America saw how a collegiate coach at a D1 school treated a concussion a few years ago at Texas Tech. A player that is identified as having a concussion should be cleared by a medical professional; not a high school coach. I can't imagine that any coach wants to make that decision. This is a lawyer's dream...

 

Agreed 100%.

 

Other than "Julian Carroll" part.