NOTE TO COACHES: Failure to act in a safe and
responsible manner with the children entrusted to you and under your care
and supervision can mean big trouble for you, including but not limited to
criminal charges for child endangerment.
That means: Give kids enough re-hydration (water) breaks,
Seek safety/shelter in the event of electrical storms,
Allow breaks for kids to cool down and don't practice in
extreme heat.
Follow the guidelines below for some good safety practices.
American Youth
Football Urges Youth Against Unhealthy Weight Reduction
As a former Captain of my High School and University Wrestling Teams and
as a former Wrestling Coach I know the weight reduction issue first hand.
While the media and infomercial's proclaim any weight loss as healthy. The
only sane approach to weight loss is to eat and drink less calories than
you burn daily.
Your child may be asked to lose weight
fast (during their growth years) for the single purpose of
"makingthe weight to play". All sorts
of dangerous methods are used to "sweat off the pounds".It
is the opinion of most physicians that dehydration techniques are harmful
to the health of athletes. Evidence of this can be found with the sport
drink companies that make millions by offering to balance a
body's electrolytes with their products.
While obesity is a national epidemic - the loss of fat occurs over
an extended period of timeby eating healthy meals and
staying physically active. Fast weight loss through dehydration
techniques drains the body, mind and spirit of growing youngsters.
American Youth Football encourages young athletes to avoid sudden weight
loss so they may develop to their full potential physically, mentally, and
socially.
Mayo Clinic in Rochester
Thursday, April 11, 2002
Injuries Uncommon in Youth Football, Mayo
Clinic Study Reports
ROCHESTER, MINN. -- A Mayo Clinic study of
youth football showed that most injuries that occurred were mild, older
players appeared to be at a higher risk and that no significant correlation
exists between body weight and injury.
The study, which appears in the April issue
of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, found that the data for athletes grades four
through eight indicated that the risk of injury in youth football does not
appear greater than the risk associated with other recreational or
competitive sports.
"Our analysis showed that youth football
injuries are uncommon," said Michael J. Stuart, M.D., a Mayo Clinic
orthopedic surgeon and the principal author of the study.
Dr. Stuart and his colleagues studied 915
players aged 9 to 13 years, who participated on 42 football teams in the
fall of 1997. Injury incidence, prevalence and severity were calculated for
each grade level and player position. Additional analyses examined the
number of injuries according to body weight.
A game injury was defined as any
football-related ailment that occurred on the field during a game that kept
a player out of competition for the reminder of the game, required the
attention of a physician, and included all concussion, lacerations, as well
as dental, eye and nerve injuries. The researchers found a total of 55
injuries occurred in games during the season — a prevalence of six percent.
Incidence of injury expressed as injury per 1,000 player-plays was lowest in
the fourth grade (.09 percent), increased for the fifth, sixth and seventh
grades (.16 percent, .16 percent, .15 percent respectively) and was highest
in the eighth grade (.33 percent).
Most of the injuries were mild and the most
common type was a contusion, which occurred in 33 players. Four injuries
(fractures involving the ankle growth plate) were such that they prevented
players from participating for the rest of the season. No player required
hospitalization or surgery.
The study’s authors said risk increases with
level of play (grade in school) and player age. Older players in the higher
grades are more susceptible to football injuries. The risk of injury for an
eighth-grade player was four times greater than the risk of injury for a
fourth-grade player. Potential contributing factors include increased size,
strength, speed and aggressiveness. Analysis of body weight indicated that
lighter players were not at increased risk for injury, and in fact heavier
players had a slightly higher prevalence of injury. This trend was not
statistically significant. Running backs are at greater risk when compared
with other football positions, the researchers reported.
Other authors who contributed to the study
include: Michael A. Morrey, Ph.D., Aynsley M. Smith, RN, Ph.D., John K. Meis,
M.S., all from the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center and Cedric J.
Ortiguera, M.D., a Mayo Clinic orthopedic surgeon in Jacksonville, Fla.
Mayo Clinic Proceedings is a peer-reviewed
and indexed general internal medicine journal, published for 75 years by
Mayo Foundation, with a circulation of 130,000 nationally and
internationally.
###
Contact:
John Murphy
507-538-1385 (days)
507-284-2511 (evenings)
e-mail: newsbureau@mayo.edu
YOUTH FOOTBALL INJURIES
UNCOMMON
A Statement by Dave Ogrean, USA Football Executive Director
Every year, more than 12 million kids play football, and that number is
ever-growing.
The well-being of young players is promoted through finely detailed safety
practices and age/weight standards.Over the years, youth football leagues
have adjusted the rules of the game to reduce the risk of injuries.
Evidence of the direct result of football's strict guidelines at the youth
level is displayed in an analysis by the Mayo Clinic that indicated in a
2002 report that "the risk of injury in youth football does not appear
greater than other recreational or competitive sports." In fact, the
report stated that "youth football injuries are uncommon."
Two of the nation's premiere youth football organizations, Pop Warner and
American Youth Football, set high safety standards for their players and
coaches. Players are grouped according to their age and weight, in order
to avoid mismatches, and different divisions are designed to overlap in
age to offer maximum opportunity for safe participation.
Another important precaution at the youth level is the proper fitting of
equipment. Youth leagues ensure that all players have high quality
helmets, padding, and other gear when on the playing field, which greatly
minimizes the risk of injury.
The fact that most injuries are predictable, and thus preventable, should
make the issue of injury non-problematic. However, the most significant
problems involving injury arise when players do not notify coaches or
adults that they have been injured. Re-injury is also a common problem
when both players and coaches do not allow proper time for injuries to
heal. These problems are easily avoidable through instructing players to
report injuries and afterwards insisting on the resolution of injuries
before a return to participation.
While no physical activity will ever be totally free of injury, youth
football programs are continually working to improve themselves and ensure
that more kids each year benefit from the sport's many lessons.
Cleveland Clinic Tips to
Prevent Heat Illness
A heat related illness occurs when the body is not able to regulate, or
control, its temperature.
If left untreated, a heat illness can lead to serious complications, even
death. If detected and treated early, however, most serious problems can
be avoided.
1. Proper Hydration
Pre- and post-exercise hydration
Drink water and electrolyte drinks
Limit excessive caffeine consumption
2. Be Aware of Supplements
Research has shown supplements use can raise blood pressure, speed heart
rate and contribute to dehydration.
Products containing ephedrine contribute to fatal heart rhythm
difficulties, heat related illnesses, stroke, and seizures.
Ephedrine raises the body's heat production and body temperatures and
increases the risk of developing heat illnesses.
Supplements are not regulated by the Fod and Drug Administration (FDA). As
a result, nutritional labels may be inconsistent.
Creatine may be linked to muscle cramping if working out in the heat of
the day.
3. Keep Cool
Use ice towels
Use cold tub
Wear light-weight, light-colored clothing
4. High Risk Athletes
Overweight & unfit athletes have a tendency to overheat.
5. Stay Healthy
Eat a well-balanced diet
Salt food lightly, if not hypertensive
Monitor weight before and after each practice session
Monitor urine: Clear or light yellow for color of unrine
Get plenty of rest
6. Notify Medical Professional if experiencing any signs of dehydration
and heat illness
Disclaimer: The evaluation of any
athlete, whether as a part of health evaluations prior to activity or as a
diagnosis of an injury as the consequence of sports activities, is
specific to that individual and the history and current state of the
individual presented. Advice, diagnosis and treatment is individualized
according to numerous factors, including patient health and age
information, medical history and symptoms. All athletes should be cleared
by a physician or other appropriate medical professional before engaging
in physical activities and, after injury, diagnosis and treatment, for
return to play.
August 17, 2004
For immediate release
Contact:
Christa Dickey
cdickey@acsm.org
Jim Gavin jgavin@acsm.org
NEW YOUTH FOOTBALL
RECOMMENDATIONS EMPHASIZE PRACTICE AND TRAINING SAFETY IN THE HEAT
Expert Panel: Youth Football Coaches Key to Safety
INDIANAPOLIS – Youth football coaches should adopt practice modifications
and employ a strategy to acclimatize players to perform in the heat, along
with a fluid replacement strategy in anticipation of young players who
begin practice already dehydrated, according to new recommendations from
the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the world leader in the
scientific and medical aspects of sports and exercise. The guidelines are
outcomes from a recent expert panel convened for an ACSM scientific
roundtable on youth football and heat stress.
Additional recommendations focus on factors that contribute to heat
stress, such as intensity and duration of exercise, body size, health and
fitness level, as well as uniform configurations.
A player’s core temperature on the field is primarily related to exercise
intensity and duration, clothing/equipment and environmental conditions.
Therefore, practices should be modified to reduce intensity, duration, and
equipment depending on the environmental heat stress. The team support
staff must closely monitor all players, instead of only a particular focus
on less fit, large players with an excessive body mass index (BMI), for
signs and symptoms of developing heat-related injury during football
practice or competition in stressful environments.
Wearing a full or partial football uniform makes players overheat sooner,
even when the temperature and humidity are not very high. To reduce the
risk of heat injury during the football pre-season, there should be a
gradual addition of the insulating parts of the football uniform and
protective equipment to allow safe transition to full intensity practice
in full gear. Players should wear less padding on very hot and humid days.
Young football players often begin practice measurably dehydrated and
sweat a lot on the field, so successive days of football practice can lead
to additional dehydration and reductions in body weight, which may
increase the risk for excessive body temperature and heat injury. Removing
barriers to adequate drinking and providing optimal conditions for fluid
intake will help prevent dehydration. Easy access to fluids and adequate
time for drinking water and other beverages that are chilled, flavored and
contain sodium will help promote fluid intake during and after training.
Other measures to help players safely acclimatize during pre-season and
reduce the risk for heat injury during all practices include:
Schedule a pre-season for at least two weeks, with seven to 10 practice
sessions of gradual and increasing exposure to intensity, duration, and
protective equipment. This will allow for proper acclimatization to the
environment and these other factors that increase heat strain.
Avoid conducting multiple on-field practice sessions on consecutive days.
Regular breaks should be scheduled to limit excessive physical activity
and allow fluid replacement.
Use the “buddy” system to monitor players (Two players assigned to “keep
an eye on” each other).
Use shade when available during rest breaks.
A standardized pre-participation physical examination should be performed
as part of routine healthcare on each football player. A review of the
athlete’s past medical history should include a history of medication and
supplement use, cardiac disease, sickle cell trait, and previous heat
illness.
Heat cramps are usually prompted by: 1) sodium depletion; 2) dehydration;
and possibly 3) muscle fatigue. Young, fit, football players who cramp
when sweating extensively may need to consume more salt and fluid, based
on their individual losses.
Special precautions for sickle-trait football players should include no
first-day preseason fitness runs, no timed distance runs, and no sustained
sprints on the field, on hills, or on stairs. Assume that any cramping is
due to red blood cell sickling until proven otherwise. Screening and
precautions for sickle cell trait may readily reduce risk and save lives.
Education of coaches, and support staff on how to prevent, identify and
treat heat injuries should be done each year. Adequate number of staff
(coaches or medical support) should be available on site to effectively
monitor the number of participants for potential problems.
"Kids don’t have to suffer heat injuries or in extreme cases, die from
heatstroke. Heat stress is preventable if parents, coaches and other
adults involved with youth football programs have access to and utilize
the right information,” said Michael F. Bergeron, Ph.D., ACSM Fellow and
panel co-chair. “These recommendations are meant to be the beginning of
new and expanded programs of research and education that will help to
ensure the health and safety of young football players everywhere.”
The American College of Sports Medicine is the largest sports medicine and
exercise science organization in the world. More than 20,000
International, National, and Regional members are dedicated to advancing
and integrating scientific research to provide educational and practical
applications of exercise science and sports medicine.
Youth Football & Heat Stress Roundtable participants also included
Douglas McKeag, M.D., FACSM, Thayne Munce, Ph.D., Craig Horswill, Ph.D.,
Anthony Luke, M.D., MPH, Thomas Rowland, M.D., FACSM, Douglas Casa, Ph.D.,
FACSM, Priscilla Clarkson Ph.D., FACSM, E. Randy Eichner, M.D., William O.
Roberts, M.D., FACSM, Randall Dick, FACSM, and Frederick Mueller, Ph.D.,
FACSM. The full set of recommendations and references will be available
this fall.
How Far Away Is Lightning From
Me?
To estimate the distance between you and a lightning flash, use the "Flash
to Bang" method: If you observe lightning, count the number of seconds until
you hear thunder. Divide the number of seconds by five to get the distance in
miles.
Example: If you see lightning and it takes 10 seconds before you hear the
thunder, then the lightning is 2 miles away from you (10 divided by 5 = 2
miles).
If Thunder is heard
The Lightning is...
5 seconds after a Flash
1 mile away
10 seconds after a Flash
2 miles away
15 seconds after a Flash
3 miles away
20 seconds after a Flash
4 miles away
25 seconds after a Flash
5 miles away
30 seconds after a Flash
6 miles away
35 seconds after a Flash
7 miles away
40 seconds after a Flash
8 miles away
Get to a safe location if the time between the lightning flash and the
rumble of thunder is 30 seconds or less.
Plan Ahead! Your best source of up-to-date weather information
is a NOAA Weather Radio (NWR).
Portable weather radios are handy for outdoor activities. If you
don't have NWR, stay up to date via internet, TV, local radio or
cell phone. If you are in a group, make sure all leaders or
members of the group have a lightning safety plan and are ready
to use it.
Determine how far you are from a
safe enclosed building or a safe vehicle.
As soon as you hear thunder, see lightning or see dark
threatening clouds, get to a safe location. Then wait 30 minutes
after the last rumble of thunder before you leave the safe
location. If you are part of a group, particularly a large one,
you will need more time to get all group members to safety. NWS
recommends having professional lightning detection equipment so
your group can be alerted from significant distances from the
event site.
When groups are involved, the time needed to get
to safety increases. So you need to start leaving sooner. Your
entire group should already be in a safe location when the
approaching storm reaches within 5 miles from your location.
Here is a common scenario for youth sports
teams with a suggestion from the National Weather Service on how
to safely respond.
Coach of Outdoor Sports Team
You are a manager of a little league team and have a game
this evening at the local recreational park. The weather
forecast for the day calls for a partly cloudy skies, with a
chance of thunderstorms by early evening. You arrive in your
vehicle while the kids arrive with their parents. Once
arriving at the park, you notice the only buildings are the
the restrooms, an enclosed building. Shortly after sunset, the
skies start to cloud up and you see bright flashes in the sky
to the west. The local radio station mentions storms are on
the way.
In this case, the safest locations are the vehicles the
kids came in or the rest rooms. You should have a choice of
allowing the kids to go back to their vehicles or bring
everyone into the restrooms. It is important NOT
to stay in the dugouts as they are not safe place during
lightning activity. Once at a safe place, wait 30 minutes
after the last rumble of thunder before going back outside.
1. One in three U.S. children born in 2000 will contract Type II diabetes
unless their lifestyles emphasize eating less and exercising more. The
odds are one in two for African American and Hispanic children.
(Center
for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health
Statistics)
2. Kids today spend an average of 5-1/2 hours a day in front of a TV or
computer. ("Kaiser
Family Foundation, 1999)
8. Kids born today are expected to have a shorter life expectancy than
their parents due to inactivity and diet. (Obesity
Week, Feb 3, 2002: v2, #5)
Data compiled by Nike Go
Nike and AYF provides these references for informational purposes
only. Inclusion of the referenced studies or organizations does not
necessarily mean there is an affiliation, endorsement, or other connection
between NIke, AYF and any of the referenced studies or organizations.
NATIONAL ATHLETIC
TRAINERS' ASSOCIATION (NATA) OFFERS HEAT ILLNESS PREVENTION TIPS FOR YOUTH
FOOTBALL PLAYERS
Organization Suggests Additional
Summer Health & Safety Tips for Active People of All Ages
DALLAS, July 12 – For thousands of six to 13 year-olds in youth football
leagues around the country, mid-July means the beginning of pre-season
practice. To educate parents, coaches and the players themselves on how to
prevent heat-related illnesses during the sweltering summer months, the
National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) and the Gatorade Sports
Science Institute (GSSI), have prepared “Guidelines on Heat Safety in
Football.”
NATA and GSSI recommend that the leagues:
Arrange proper medical coverage
at all practices and games
Acclimate the young athletes to
the heat over a two-week period
Allow proper fluid replacement
to maintain hydration
Weigh in athletes before and
after practices to monitor sweat loss and dehydration
Arrange practice and rest in
shaded areas and during cooler times of the day
Provide proper rest periods
during and in-between practice sessions
Minimize the amount of equipment
and clothing worn by players in hot and humid conditions, particularly
during the acclimation period
The NATA's Age Specific Task
Force recommends that all young players be permitted to remove their
helmets during rest breaks during both practices and games, as well as
in-between periods and at halftime. With the football helmet on at all
times in hot and humid weather, the body core temperature can increase to
a greater extent and may play a role in the development of an exertional
heat illness. Combining proper hydration, rest and the removal of the
helmet for a period of time assists in the reduction of core body
temperature and reduces the risk of developing a heat illness. To view the
entire statement, please visit:
NATA, a non-profit organization that represents 30,000 members of the
athletic training profession, periodically issues position and consensus
statements on sports and health-related issues. Timely, summer-related
statements include:
-- which offers guidelines
on how to increase safety and performance for individuals engaged in
physical activities, especially in warm and hot environments.
A parent and coaches guide based on the consensus statement can be found
at:
-- which discusses the
dangers of lightning; provides lightning-safety guidelines; defines safe
structures and locations; and advocates pre-hospital care for
lightning-strike victims.
About the NATA:
Certified athletic trainers (ATCs) are unique health care providers who
specialize in the prevention, assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of
injuries and illnesses that occur to athletes and the physically active.
The National Athletic Trainers' Association represents and supports 30,000
members of the athletic training profession through education and
research. www.nata.org. NATA, 2952 Stemmons Freeway, Ste. 200 , Dallas ,
TX 75247 , 214.637.6282; 214.637.2206 (fax).
The Largest Youth Football & Cheer Organization in the
Country
