NSCAA has joined forces with the National Center for Sports Safety (NCSS) to offer a comprehensive online sports safety course, which is known by the acronym of P.R.E.P.A.R.E.

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, more than 775,000 children under age 14 are treated in emergency rooms each year for sports-related injuries. Nearly half of these injuries were preventable, but statistics from the National Youth Sports Safety Foundation show that fewer than 10 percent of the nation’s 2.5 million volunteer coaches and 33 percent of its interscholastic coaches have any type of coaching education.

To raise the national standards of coaches responsible for the safety and well-being of millions of young athletes, NCSS, in conjunction with the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA), developed P.R.E.P.A.R.E., an online sports safety course for coaches, particularly volunteer moms and dads, who need basic sports safety education.

P.R.E.P.A.R.E. covers everything from minor injuries, like blisters, nose bleeds and ankle sprains, to life-threatening situations such as head and neck injuries. The NSCAA, in conjunction with NCSS, is offering the course through its web site at www.NSCAA.com The three-hour course only costs $28.

Course participants learn to P.R.E.P.A.R.E. an acronym that represents each of the targeted emphasis areas of the course:

• P – Pre-plan, in case of emergencies;
• R – Recognize emergencies;
• E – Emergency Plan (pinpoint the steps needed to be taken once an emergency has occurred);
• P – Principles of First Aid (learn the basic first aid techniques every coach should know);
• A – ABCs (become familiar with airway breathing and circulation – the basic steps of CPR);
• R – Return to Play (determine when it is safe for an injured athlete to return to play); and
• E – Enjoy (encourage young athletes to get back into the game).

After completing the course, each coach receives a sports safety patch and a certificate.

P.R.E.P.A.R.E. focuses on the basics of: emergency planning; heat and cold illnesses; emergency recognition; medical considerations; principles of first aid; head, neck and facial injuries; and warm-up and cool down. The flexibility of online learning allows participants to complete the course at their own pace. The NCSS also is establishing a network of health care professionals, including physicians and certified athletic trainers, who can teach the hands-on course in a group setting classroom.

You can access the course here.