SEEKING TO MAKE YOUTH SPORTS SAFE.(safety measures and standards for youth sports)

Publication: USA Today (Magazine)

Publication Date: 01-JUL-01

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COPYRIGHT 2001 Society for the Advancement of Education

Protective equipment, standards, and common sense are keys to preventing serious injury.

ORGANIZED youth sports in the U.S. and most of North America are relatively safe endeavors in which the benefits far outweigh the risks. On the individual level, even less-organized sports have enormous physical and emotional benefits that, in all but the most extreme cases, weigh in favor of the activity. That is not to say that life-altering catastrophic events never occur. Although rare, terrible sports-related tragedies do happen. Most are preventable by making a concerted effort on many fronts. Of the preventive measures available, proper training, coaching, supervision, and quick medical care are almost always the key steps to be taken. It is the role of protective sports equipment, those who build it, and the organizations that create the methods to judge their potential effectiveness to be the final defense in minimizing the occurrence of tragic events. Even under the best circumstances, there are times when nothing can prevent heartbreaking injuries or even death.

Standards in North America usually can be described as falling into one of several categories. Government (such as those mandated by the Consumer Products Safety Commission) and voluntary or industry standards are the most common. Of voluntary standards, the ones that are mandated by a particular governing body seem to be the most effective. As an example, if a piece of personal protective equipment is required for some type of play, like a Hockey Equipment Certification Council (HECC)-certified helmet by USA Hockey (the national governing body), it is a good bet players will wear such equipment because the roles prohibit participation without doing so. Governing bodies, however, rarely write or create such standards because that is not in their area of expertise. Rather, they will rely upon other organizations, such as the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), which has over 30,000 members and is well-respected for its consensus standards, to arrive at a viable and effective one.

Others, such as the National Operating...

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