St. Francis High School Receives National Athletic Trainers’ Association Safe Sports School Award

St. Francis High School is thrilled to announce that it is, once again, the recipient of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Safe (NATA) Sports School award for the accomplishments of its Sports Medicine/Athletic Training 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.

St. Francis’ Head Certified Athletic Trainer, Mr. Eli Hallak, ATC, EMT, is extremely pleased with the recognition. “St. Francis is honored to receive this 1st Team recognition from NATA for a second time, and we remain committed to keeping our Golden Knights safe during physical education classes, team practices, and games so they can accomplish their personal and team goals. Our aim is to keep them healthy so that they can contribute to great competition, good sportsmanship, and excellent health. Ultimately, we hope to lead the entire school to the highest safety standards for our student-athletes,” he remarked. Mr. Hallak also praised St. Francis’ administration for investing in the safety of the students by adding a second full-time Athletic Trainer, Mr. Joel Doerning ‘04, ATC, to the staff in 2014.

“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 St. Francis High School 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

St. Francis High School, 200 Foothill Blvd., La Cañada, (818) 790-0325 or visit www.sfhs.net.