St. Anne's-Belfield Receives National Athletic Trainers' Association Safe Sports School Award

Program recognizes high schools that help to keep young athletes safe

Charlottesville, Va., Sept. 24, 2018 - St. Anne's-Belfield School is the recipient of the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) Safe Sports School Award (2nd Team) for its Sports Medicine Program. The award champions safety and recognizes secondary schools that provide safe environments for student-athletes. The award reinforces the importance of providing the best level of care, injury prevention, and treatment.

"We are honored to receive this second  team recognition from NATA, and we remain committed to keeping our student-athletes safe. This is a testament to the hard work we have done  to continue the standard set by Shari Norte on keeping our athletes safe. Through prevention programs, coaching, and athlete education, as well as having two full time athletic trainers, we are able to have a positive impact on all members of the St. Anne's-Belfield community," said Athletic Trainers Jeremy Eith and Lizzie Leitch.

"We remain committed to the health and welfare of young athletes in competitive sports," said NATA President Scott Sailor, Ed.D., A.T.C. "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, athletic programs must:

• 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 on the potential benefits and risks in sports, as well as their responsibilities.

For more information please visit www.athletictrainers.org.

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About National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA)

Athletic trainers are health care professionals who specialize in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of injuries and sport-related illnesses. They prevent and treat chronic musculoskeletal injuries from sports, physical and occupational activity, and provide immediate care for acute injuries. Athletic trainers offer a continuum of care that is unparalleled in health care. The National Athletic Trainers' Association represents and supports 39,000 members of the athletic training profession. Visit www.nata.org.

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St. Anne's-Belfield School is a co-educational preschool through grade 12 day school of nearly 900 students and more than 150 faculty and staff, with a boarding program in grades nine through twelve. Fifteen countries are represented in the student body, with 40 percent of students receiving financial aid. More information may be found at www.stab.org.