Safe Kids of Lincoln-Lancaster County has announced the availability of new videos, coaches training and other information to help youth sports organizations and families lower the risk of injury to young athletes.
The free resources are available at safekidslincoln.org/sports-injury-prevention. About 30 million children participate annually in sports nationwide and an average of 3.5 million children receive medical treatment for sports injuries each year, according to Safe Kids. Many of these injuries are preventable.
“The popularity of youth sports requires us as a responsible community to ensure young athletes are as safe as possible,” Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Director Pat Lopez says. “These new resources focus on preventing the leading causes of youth sports injuries – concussion, overuse injury and dehydration – and are a must-have for every member of our youth sports community.”
The purpose of this project is to provide youth sports organizations, both recreational and select/competitive, and families of youth athletes with best practice resources on reducing the risk of sports-related injuries. In addition to videos and tip sheets, the project features the Game Plan – Youth Sports Coaches Training, developed in collaboration with Children’s Hospital and Medical Center.
The training covers a wide range of topics related to sport injuries and how to spot them and prevent them. Although the training is geared toward coaches, the safety information is also beneficial to parents and others. Safe Kids partners with more than 70 organizations to help prevent childhood injuries through the work of the coalition. The coalition has six task forces that address priority injury areas, including sports injury prevention.
The new resources were developed by the Sports Injury Prevention Task Force, which includes experts in athletic training, sports medicine and public health, local coaches, and representatives from youth sports organizations. Task force members include:
- Dr. Mark Stutz, Nebraska Wesleyan University
- Dr. Natalie Ronshaugen, Children’s Hospital and Medical Center
- Brian Baker, Tommy George, Kylie Gokie, Janette Johnson, LLCHD
- Claire Cantwell and Todd Johnson, YMCA
- Melissa Fuller, City of Lincoln Communications
- Maggie Griffin and Bryce Hickerson, Volleyball Club Nebraska
- Jay Jacox and Ryan Mohling, Lincoln Parks and Recreation
- Jason Kerkman, Safe Kids Nebraska
- Megan Neeman, Syracuse Health Center
- Ricardo Noyola, Dreamers FC Soccer
- Brian Vanis, Lincoln Sox Baseball