NFL Foundation, leading researcher and Dallas Independent School District recognized for significant contributions to youth sports safety
DALLAS, March 2, 2015 – At the sixth Youth Sports Safety Summit today, the National Athletic Trainers’ Association presented its inaugural Youth Sports Safety Ambassador Award to three recipients demonstrating significant commitment to the health and welfare of secondary school student athletes.
This award recognizes an individual and/or entity that has made a significant contribution to advancing athlete safety based on one of two criteria:
- By providing exemplary youth sports safety protocols and care that set a precedent and/or model that others can follow.
- By advancing youth sports safety in one of the following areas: provision of appropriate medical care, research, policy change and/or resource allocation.
This year’s recipients include:
- The NFL Foundation for its commitment to youth athlete safety through its leadership in initiatives such as: USA Football’s Heads Up Football – funded in part by the NFL Foundation – that emphasizes safer and smarter ways to play and teach youth football; and the NFL Foundation Athletic Trainer Program, which provided matching grants to NFL clubs to fund athletic trainers in underserved middle schools, high schools and youth leagues nationwide.
- Dawn Comstock, PhD, associate professor, Colorado School of Public Health, Pediatric Injury Prevention, Education, and Research Program, as one of the country’s leading high school injury surveillance published researchers whose studies have influenced policy change and best practices. Her dedication and tireless voice to improving the health and safety of young athletes is significant.
- The Dallas Independent School District for its hiring of one or more full-time athletic trainers for all high schools in the district, reinforcing its commitment to athlete safety. As the fourteenth largest in the nation, the school district’s dedication to improving the health and safety of young athletes is significant and wide reaching for athletes in urban and suburban communities.
“NATA is delighted to recognize and honor these individuals and organizations for their commitment and dedication to youth sports safety. Their collective research, education, funding and hiring practices are improving and changing the national landscape,” said NATA President-Elect Scott Sailor, EdD, ATC, who presented the awards.
Nominations for the 2016 Youth Sports Safety Ambassador award will open August 1, 2015, and close December 31, 2015.
The Youth Sports Safety Summit was hosted by NATA and the Youth Sports Safety Alliance, comprising more than 200 organizations committed to keeping young athletes safe. This year’s event, held in Dallas, Texas, built on the success of prior summits and addressed the day-long theme of Navigating the Athletic Health Care System.