Secondary School Athletic Training Education Program

Purpose and Objectives

The University of West Alabama Athletic Training and Sports Medicine Center was established in 1986 to organize and formalize efforts toward improvement of athletic health care in West Alabama through education.  In order to reach this goal several objectives must be accomplished which include:

• Increasing the knowledge of coaches, physicians, and other personnel in the field of athletic training and sports medicine through both formal and informal education;
• Improving relationships between coaches, administrators, parents, athletes, local family/team physicians and other medical support personnel by promoting the team approach to athletic health care;
• Producing graduates that may be employed as teacher/certified athletic trainers in area secondary schools; and
• Encouraging the hiring of BOC certified athletic trainers by area secondary schools through public relations.

STAFFING
The Center is staffed primarily by five full time certified athletic trainers, three graduate assistant athletic trainers and approximately thirty athletic training students.  Support personnel include orthopaedists, family practice physicians, physical therapists, exercise physiologists, biomechanists, health & physical educators, and others in related areas.

SERVICES AND PROGRAMS
The following services and programs are provided through the Center:

Injury Prevention through the following:

• proper conditioning, strengthening, and flexibility programs;

• proper selection, care and fitting of equipment and supplies such as helmets, shoulder pads, shoes, and mouthpieces;

• protective padding, taping, splinting, and bracing; and

• recognition of pre-existing conditions in pre-participation physical examinations.

Injury Recognition, Evaluation, and Referral, by the following:

• communication with the athlete as to the history of how, when, where, and what happened when the injury occurred;

• specific questioning about pre-existing problems and conditions before the injury;

• modern "hands on" examination and evaluation techniques; and

• utilizing the current standards of care and recognizing the indications for referring athletic injuries to the team/family physician or appropriate sports medicine specialist.

Injury Management and Treatment by means of the following:

• modern primary care techniques utilizing ice, compression, elevation, support and relative rest;

• working with the local family/team physicians in day-to-day treatment protocols;

• regular re-evaluation of signs and symptoms to insure appropriate management; and

• secondary care techniques of cryotherapy, exercise, compression, heat, massage, support, taping, and wrapping.

Injury Rehabilitation, utilizing the following:

• modern and safe techniques using appropriate exercise to maintain and improve range of motion, flexibility, muscular endurance, muscular strength, proprioception and cardiovascular fitness;

• specific protocols, designed for specific injuries and conditions; and

• regular re-evaluation of progress to insure changes in the rehabilitation program as indicated.

Organization and Administration of Athletic Training Programs, including the following:

• setting up and organizing pre-participation physical examinations;

• guidance in designing a new facility or renovating existing facilities to accommodate athletic training services and/or the athletic trainer;

• working with local physicians as appropriate in securing a team physician; and

• guidance in the selection of athletic training supplies and equipment.

Education and Counseling which encompass the following:

• guidance to athletes, coaches, and parents in the areas of conditioning, flexibility, diet/nutrition, and similar areas;

• both credit and non-credit courses in the area of athletic training and sports medicine;

• serving as a resource center for information and advice regarding athletic health care; and

• providing athletic trainers, physicians, and other qualified personnel to speak to parent/teacher groups, boosters, and service clubs.

TWO PHASE PROGRAM
The Center offers two different levels of athletic training services to area secondary schools.  The first phase, Introductory, allows for injured students to be referred to the Center for athletic training services.  Enrollment in this phase is not limited and is open to any school or program.  The second phase, Comprehensive, is primarily for those schools and programs that already have regular daily access to a BOC certified athletic trainer, but would prefer continued support and use of the Center’s services.  Please see the detailed description of each phase for further details.

INTRODUCTORY PHASE
This phase establishes a relationship that allows the Center to provide assistance, advice, information, and educational services to the secondary school.  The services and programs of the Center are available to the secondary school athlete by visits to The University of West Alabama Campus.  Coaches, parents, principals, physicians, and other personnel from the school may request services by contacting one of the University athletic trainers at the Center.  Referral of injured athletes for evaluation, further referral, management, and rehabilitation advice should be made in advance by telephone.  Communication between coaches, parents, principals, boosters, and other personnel is emphasized.

The Center does not provide athletic trainers for game coverage or other visits to the secondary school.  One of the University athletic trainers may visit the school on rare occasions but not more than a few times annually.

There is a $100.00 charge for these services to defray expenses for expendable supplies, materials, postage, duplication, and telephone.  This phase is subject to the availability of staff and facilities.  The University of West Alabama Varsity athletic program and other University programs receive first priority in terms of staff and facility usage.

COMPREHENSIVE PHASE
The comprehensive phase is for schools that are self-sufficient in terms of most athletic health care needs by having actually employed an BOC certified athletic trainer and securing a team physician.

The Center is available to assist in recruiting and selecting candidates for the position.  Once a certified athletic trainer is hired, the Center is available to:

• assist in evaluation and referral of special problems;

• provide continued educational support for the entire athletic health care program;

• provide continuing education conferences for the coach, athletic trainer, team physician, and emergency medical technicians: and

• assist in filling the athletic training position should a vacancy occur.

In the comprehensive phase all services and programs of the Center are available as in the introductory phase.  There is a $100.00 charge for this phase to defray expenses for expendable supplies, materials, postage, duplication, etc.