Featured Story
05.23.2018

MVU Earns Safe Sport School Award

Missisquoi Valley Union High School recently earned the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Safe Sports School award. The award champions safety and recognizes secondary schools that provide safe environments for student athletes. The award reinforces the importance of providing the best level of care, injury prevention and treatment.

“I’m proud that Missisquoi Valley Union High School has earned recognition as a leader in sport safety,” said John Lumsden, MVU Athletic/Activities Director. “I think it shows how committed both MVU and NMC are to ensuring the health and safety of our student athletes.”

Work toward the award partnered MVU’s athletic staff and Athletic Trainers (AT) from Northwestern Medical Center to ensure the proper processes are in place to ensure top-notch care, as well injury prevention and treatment for student athletes. NMC’s AT staff are part of the Northwestern Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Center, an integrated and highly-trained team at the hospital.

NMC’s Lead Athletic Trainer Danielle Trombley said: “It was a pleasure to work with MVU to ensure that all protocols were in place to assure we are providing the best level of care to our student athletes. The collaboration between MVU staff and our NMC athletic trainers was exceptional and I feel the school was very deserving of such award as they and our NMC athletic trainers work very hard to ensure our student athletes have the best level of care provided to them. “

“I’m proud of MVU for this recognition. Being recognized by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association is a great reward for all of the hard work by many people at MVU and NMC, said Zoe Walsh an NMC Athletic Trainer. “I’m honored to be a part of such a dedicated and caring healthcare team.”

“We remain committed to the health and welfare of young athletes in competitive sports,” says NATA President Scott Sailor, EdD, ATC. “This award recognizes the contributions and commitment of schools across the country that are implementing safe sports policies and best practices to ensure athletes can do what they love best and have the appropriate care in place to prevent, manage and treat injuries should they occur.”

In order to achieve Safe Sport School status, as (name of 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 of the potential benefits and risks in sports as well as their responsibilities

For more information please visit: www.athletictrainers.org.