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High school coaches' training/education experience regarding sports injury prevention
The purpose of this study was to assess high school coaches’ role in sports injury prevention by determining their training/education experience.
Methods:
A total of 185 coaches employed during the 2010-2011 school year were purposively selected from 10 public high schools in West-Central Florida and completed a validated survey to determine their training and experience related to sports injury prevention. One-hundred-twelve surveys were submitted (60%) and 111 were used for the final analysis.
Results:
Approximately half of the responding coaches (52.1%) held a certificate in a national, state, or county- level sports organization. In terms of the coaches’ training/education experiences related to sports injury prevention, about one-half of the survey participants (50 coaches) responded that they had training in CPR, and about one-fourth of the participants (32 coaches) stated that they had training related to concussions. Only 25 out of 111 coaches reported that they had first aid training. Approximately half of the survey participants (49 coaches) listed conditioning drills as an effective injury prevention program. About one-half of the participants (63 coaches) believed that coaches are most effective in leading injury prevention efforts.
Conclusions:
Findings from this study provide a broader understanding of coaches’ education/training background regarding sports injury prevention in high school settings. This study promotes the inclusion of a formal injury prevention course as part of the current coaching education curriculum. Discussion should take place to mandate that coaches’ training for injury prevention includes CPR/first aid certification.
Learning Areas:
Public health or related researchLearning Objectives:
Describe the coaches’ training/education experience regarding sports injury prevention in high school settings
Discuss mandating coaches’ CPR/first aid certification as a means of reducing further injuries among high school athletes
Keyword(s): Adolescents, Public Health Research
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been a children's injury researcher for over 25 years and worked directly with Dr. Jang on the development and implementation of this research. I have published hundreds of manuscripts, made hundreds of professional presentations, and am editor of the text Injury Prevention for Children and Adolescents published by APHA. This project was Dr. Jang's doctoral dissertation and I served as her major professor at the University of South Florida, College of Public Health.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.