NATA, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM) hosted a three-part virtual educational event to help parents, guardians and community leaders make informed decisions about sports participation during the pandemic. The discussions featured leading medical experts in pediatrics, sports medicine and athletic training on the state of safety in sport and COVID-19.
Each session was recorded and is available to watch online. Athletic trainers are encouraged to share these educational sessions with parents and members of the community who want more information about youth sports and COVID-19.
The first session, Understanding the Risks and Benefits of Sports Participation During the Pandemic, helped parents, guardians and community leaders understand the risks and benefits of playing sports during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the physical, mental and psychosocial effects in youth athletes. This session also helped attendees make an informed decision about sports participation and better understand the risk factors in sport and COVID-19. This session’s panel featured Rebecca Lopez, PhD, ATC, CSCS, Shelley Fiscus, MD, FAAP, and Margot Putukian, MD, FACSM, FAMSSM.
Session two, Safety Precautions for You and Your Team, helped parents, guardians and community leaders understand the safety precautions that families and youth athletes should take prior to participation and before, during and after a practice or game. Attendees also learned about health and safety precautions they should expect from their school or team, including use of face coverings and how to address concerns with their school or team leaders. This session’s panel featured Darryl Conway, MA, ATC, Susannah Briskin, MD, and Mark Halstead, MD.
The final session, Navigating Sports During COVID-19 for Elite Athletes, centered on youth athletes who are approaching graduation and advancing to more elite levels of play, such as collegiate athletics, and the unique circumstances they face during the pandemic. This informative educational session helped parents, guardians and community leaders understand the challenges and concerns related to schedule changes, detraining and the transition to college campuses. This session’s panel featured Murphy Grant, MS, ATC, PES, Stephanie Chu, DO, and Drew Watson, MD, MS.
Learn more about the NATA, AAP and AMSSM collaboration on the NATA website and in the October NATA News.
