KARNS CITY, Pa. – Karns City Junior / Senior High School is the recipient of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Safe Sports School award for its athletics program.
The award champions safety and recognizes secondary schools that provide safe environments for student athletes. The award also reinforces the importance of providing the best level of care, injury prevention and treatment.
From left: Brian Markle, Karns City Athletic Director, Jim Stricek, ATC., PATS Parliamentarian, PA Senator Don White, Eric Fritch, ATC., Karns City Assistant Athletic Trainer , John Burnett, ATC., Karns City Head Athletic Trainer, Becky Mokris, ATC., PATS Northwestern Representative and Neal Convery, Aide to PA Represenative Brian Ellis.
“Karns City is honored to receive this second team recognition from the NATA, and we remain committed to keeping our student athletes safe during physical education classes, team practices and games so they can accomplish their own goals of great competition, winning records, fair sportsmanship and good health. Our goal is to lead our athletics program to the highest safety standards for our players,” said Brian Markle, Athletic Director.
“This national recognition demonstrates our school districts commitment to go above and beyond to provide a safe environment and have instituted plans and procedures to encourage the highest degree of safety for our student athletes”, said John Burnett, MS, LAT, ATC, Head Athletic Trainer at Karns City.
“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 Karns City 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.
