Dangers Of Cheer And Lack Of Safety Standards

I recently came across a news release from the national media on cheer injuries.  In addition to the normal horror stories, it included the following points of interest: 

• 73 cases of “catastrophic” cheerleading injuries in the U.S. over the past 26 years have been traced by Frederick Mueller, director of the National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research at UNC.  These included two deaths and fractured skulls or broken necks that led to permanent disabilities.
• According to national estimates by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, almost 30,000 cheerleaders are treated in emergency rooms each year.   
• Emergency room visits from cheerleaders have tripled since the mid-80’s when cheerleading became more “like gymnasts in little skirts.” Cheerleading popularity and participation also increased during  this time.  
• High risk stunts were also on the rise. Basket tosses, pyramids, and certain tumbling runs, top the list for injuries, which are frequently executed on gymnasium floors, grass, and dirt with nothing separating the cheerleader from the hard surfaces. 
• High school cheer is not considered an official sport in most states.  Therefore, cheer doesn’t necessitate the same limits on practice time, safety equipment, or training for coaches that are essential for other high school sports. 
• The American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators (AACCA) require cheer coaches to be certified in thirteen states.  Certification often only requires an online test for coaches so there is no training in spotting techniques or gymnastics.  And only about a dozen states regulate cheer by the rules that are set by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). 
• In July, the NFHS will start offering an online cheer coach certification course comparable to the AACCA course.  Yet, each state will determine if the coach is required to take the certification course. 
• AACCA has just introduced its first set of rules, which ban double twisting dismounts and basket tosses.  And the rule only applies to the youngest cheerleaders who are on either the elementary, middle or junior high teams.  
• Susan Loomis, the NFHS rulebook editor for spirit teams comments that there is no one who acts as ‘cheer police’ at the high school level.  She does not know herself what the repercussions would be if someone did not follow or broke a rule.   

Source:  MSNBC 

Concussion Risks For Cheerleaders

“Much of the concern for young athletes at risk for concussion goes to the obvious heavy-hitters:  football, soccer, basketball.  But an expert who studies the injury in youth sports say one major activity is being overlooked: cheerleading.”

 “Female athletes may be at even higher risk for suffering a concussion than their male counterparts, Strickland said.  Girls’ neck muscles are generally weaker than boys’, making them more susceptible to dangers that come from rapid acceleration or deceleration, and whiplash.”

Source:  MSNBC

Background Check Vendor: ProtectYouthSports.com

I was just introduced to ProtectYouthSports.com since they are the endorsed criminal background check vendor of our insurance client, National Alliance For Youth Sports (NAYS). ProtectYouthSports.com has some unique features as well as training videos that you should check out.

 ProtectYouthSports.com

 A good track record counts for a lot, and as you may know, Protect Youth Sports has established a very firm and reputable standing within the youth sports market for background screening. Benefiting from this very much proven history could not be any simpler, as over 5,000 organizations have found before.

Many of the problems that youth sports leagues encounter with background checks are caused by low quality instant checks and state-level-only background checks. Instant checks and state-level-only checks lead to missed records, incomplete records, out-of-date records and inadequate protection from sexual predators.

New and Enhanced Techniques Included in the Latest Version of the “Re-Verified” National Background Check from Protect Youth Sports

“True” 50 State Sex Offender Search, National Criminal Database (over 400 mil­lion records), Free Alias Name Search, No False Positives or Incomplete Records, 100% Industry Compliance Guaranteed

 ·  Free Video Course – backgrounds checks and streamlining the  screening process

·  No Signup Fees – when you are a qualified youth sports organization

·  NAYS Discounts – up to 20% off on already discounted packages

 Nothing could be easier than getting started with Protect Youth Sports.Start by requesting your Free Video Course at www.protectyouthsports.com  or call (877) 319-5587.

Simple Diet Steps For Overweight Youth Football Players

Dennis Buckley, DC has produced a short YouTube video on how overweight youth football players can lose weight the safe way. Dr. Buckley performs many pre season physicals on youth tackle football players in CA and has noticed that many are over the weight category for the division in which they want to play. Dr. Buckley points out that quick weight loss is unhealthy and that a healthy diet must be approached on a family wide basis to be successful in most cases.

Safe Weigh Loss For Children Specifically For Those Participating In Youth Football Programs This Year

Recertification and Reconditioning of Sports Equipment

We came across an excellent webpage from Riddell on their sports uniforms and equipment reconditioning, and recertification process to meet strict standards for athletic equipment.  This reconditioning process fights bacteria, viruses and mold, which reduces health risks.  Once the process is completed, a final inspection is done to recertify the equipment and uniforms according to the original manufacturing condition.  Click on the following link to see a video and learn more about the benefits of reconditioning and recertification. 

Source: Riddell