Health and Safety
HEALTH & SAFETY FOR PLAYERS AND VOLUNTEERS
SAFETY ALERT - 10/2/2008: U.S. announces product recall for MacGregor and Mitre folding goals. The region does not use these goals but coaches who may have purchased them for practices should visit http://tinyurl.com/4v97v7.
AYSO cares about the health and safety of its players and volunteers. Our region has a Child & Volunteer Protection Advocate, , and a Safety Director, . This page contains resources devoted to health and safety.
Some of the information on this page is available elsewhere on this site, but we would like you to be able to find all of these resources in one place. We will be adding other pages as we develop this latest addition to our site.
Once approved as a coach, an assistant coach, a team administrator or a referee, you need to visit AYSO's national online registration program, eAYSO, and "pre-register" as a volunteer. DO NOT USE eAYSO TO REGISTER A PLAYER. The eAYSO pre-registration form for volunteers is required by child protection policies implemented by AYSO and many other youth sports organizations.
Do you need to stretch? The conventional wisdom has always been that
once children are 10 or more, they need to stretch before exercise.
But a lot of evidence now seems to suggest that stretching before
engaging in most sports is not particularly beneficial and may actually
be harmful. What seems to be more useful is warming up. We
aren't sports medicine experts here at Region 76, but we invite you to
check out reputable sources of information. See
USA Today article dated June 21, 2004.
Good, good, good, good
hydrations. See the
USSF's guidelines on hydration - that means getting liquid into the
body before, during and after games (updated June 5, 2006). Key
recommendation:
"As one of the best means to preventing heat illness, The U.S. Soccer Federation recommends parents and coaches ensure children are well hydrated before practice and games. During activity, young athletes should drink on a schedule; because thirst is not an accurate indicator of fluid needs, athletes should drink before they become thirsty. The Federation plans to incorporate the Heat Illness and Hydration Guidelines into its already existing coaches’ curriculum, reaching thousands of youth soccer coaches across the country."
Is it safe to head the ball? (I)?
- an article that appeared on MSNBC's site.
Is it safe to head the ball (II)? -The word from AYSO's National
Director of Coaching, John Ouellette
When head
hits ball (III) - As reported by the Los Angeles Times
(October 27, 2003)
U.S.
Soccer Federation Statement - Undated statement reviewed on USSF website
May 15, 2006; not changed as of October 2, 2008. Extracts:
"While players should be given the option of using headgear, it is not
permissible for any USSF member or affiliate to require use of headgear by
players. USSF Bylaw 104 states that FIFA Laws of the Game shall apply to
soccer games that occur under the purview of USSF. FIFA Laws of the Game,
Law 4, provides a specific list of mandatory equipment (including jersey,
shorts, socks, shoes, and shin guards). Headgear is not on this list, and it
is not within the authority of USSF’s members to amend the Laws of the Game
in this way.
"It is important to point out that there is much to learn about headgear. A recent study sponsored by FIFA’s sports medicine committee concluded that headgear provides no measurable benefit in head-to-ball impacts, but does provide 'measurable benefit' in subconcussive head-to-head impacts. However, there are still many unanswered questions – most importantly, the extent to which this sort of headgear diminishes the risk of concussions, if at all. USSF’s Sports Medicine Committee continues to monitor the available literature and push for further research on such questions as whether decreasing impact force translates into decreasing concussions and whether use of headgear creates a false sense of security among players or causes them to play more aggressively."
It should also be note that while we cannot mandate the use of headgear, the USSF's Manager of Referee Development and Education stated in 2003 that "Modern protective equipment such as headgear, facemasks, knee and arm protectors made of soft, lightweight, padded material are not considered dangerous and are therefore permitted."
How to deal with injuries
- Some general and very well written advice from the US Soccer Federation
republished from AYSO's publication, Play It Safe
Soccer
Accident Insurance. AYSO National provides a supplemental
insurance policy for registered players and registered volunteers that
covers medical expenses related to on field injuries that are not covered
under your normal medical insurance coverage. The policy is a $200.00
deductible policy that covers the injuries after your insurance has
already paid. This policy is free - players and volunteers are
automatically covered when they register.
It is the responsibility of the person making the claim to submit the
Soccer Insurance Claim Form within 90 days of the injury, even if your
insurance company has not paid yet, otherwise the claim will be denied.
Here is a link to the AYSO National page with links to
the insurance
SAC policy as well as the claim form. To view the actual
brochure, you will need the free
Adobe
Acrobat Reader.
The form must be filled out and signed by either the coach or an AYSO
official and signed by the safety director, Scott Karlan.
If there are any questions please e-mail or call the AYSO number at 310-859-9663.
Through the national office of AYSO, Region 76 also has liability insurance, which we provide to the City and the School District.
Good mental health is important too. Start by learning to be a
better person on the sidelines, whether as a
coach or a
parent or other supporter.
Last updated February 12, 2010 09:36 AM