Injured Athletes

• If an athlete is injured in a practice or game you MUST send them to see the Athletic Trainer.

• Even if the athlete is sent to the hospital, or seen by a doctor, they need to report to the Athletic Trainer when they return to school

• For insurance/liability reasons, the Athletic Trainer must fill out an injury report on every injury.

• The Athletic Trainer can often get an appointment with the team orthopedic and physical therapist in a much quicker time frame for those who need them.

Insurance

The Athletic Trainer will fill out all the necessary forms for an injured athlete, make the necessary copies and then give those to the athlete/parents.  

• Do not give any forms to the parents. If a parent asks you about forms, please direct them to the Athletic Trainer or Athletic Director in person, by phone, or by email.

Press Releases

Due to confidentiality policies, please do not release any information pertaining to injured athletes. If you are asked about an injured athlete by a member of the press, feel free to tell them that “yes, Joe Smith, was injured and pulled by our sports medicine team for further evaluation.”

ImPACT Testing

All athletes must have a baseline ImPACT test to participate in any athletic contest.

• NIAA requires athletes to be baseline tested only ONCE during their high school years.

• The Athletic Trainer will test all freshmen before their first athletic season and any transfer students or new athletes before their first athletic season at BMCHS. Once they have been baseline tested, they will not have to be tested again unless a head injury occurs.

• It is YOUR responsibility as a coach to contact the Athletic Trainer or Athletic Director to schedule testing for those athletes mentioned above.

• Please contact the Athletic Trainer or Athletic Director if you have any questions, or to set up a time to test your athletes as soon as your roster is set.

Medical Kits

• The coach is responsible for bringing the medical kit to all events, home or away, where the ATC will not be directly supervising the event.

• The kit provides necessary first-aid supplies as well as the most generally used athletic supplies used in the ATR

• If more specialized equipment is needed, coaches can request the extra supplies from the ATC

Training Room Hours

• During all seasons, the training room will be open from 2:00 to 6:00 pm (or 30 minutes after the final practice ends) on regular school days.

• Saturday and Holiday hours will be posted and coaches will be notified.

• Water, ice, and other needs will be set up and available for ALL games, but NIAA requires that only HOME, VARSITY, IN-LEAGUE contests will be covered, except for football.

• On Varsity game days the training room will open one hour prior to the first game. The Athletic Trainer will remain on campus until the end of football practices and stay 30 minutes following practice.

• The training room schedule will be posted on the training room door with treatment and taping times in accordance with every season (Fall, Winter, Spring).

• If an athlete needs to be taped, please send them to be taped after school. Under no circumstances should students tape each other. Incorrect taping can cause further harm.

Training Room Use

Please make sure that all athletes are supervised when in the training room and that they clean up after themselves.

Protocol for Head Injury or Suspected Head Injury for Bishop Manogue Athletes

During a practice, game or any athletic event at BMCHS and an athlete suffers a head injury or is under suspicion of a head injury, please follow these guidelines in order to report the incident and help facilitate the appropriate steps to treat this injury.

1. Following an event that causes a head injury (even seemingly mild) please immediately remove the athlete from all physical activity

   1. Monitor their status by staying nearby, an adult should be present

2. Take the time to efficiently report the injury to Sarah Smith, BMCHS Head Athletic Trainer. 

   1. You can do so in person or via her personal cell: 303.304.6047

   2. It is essential to share this information with the Athletic Trainer (ATC) right away, an assessment done by the proper healthcare professionals AND parents must be updated about the injury ASAP. 

   3. Even with the suspicion of an injury, symptoms can develop, change and become exacerbated with physical or cognitive effort. If a concussion has occurred it is necessary for parents, counselors, teachers and coaches to be notified prior to the following practice, game or school day. It is the Athletic Trainer’s job to do so in the time shortly following the diagnosis of a concussion. Please help facilitate this process by reporting immediately. 

Return to Sport Following a Head Injury

If the diagnosis of a concussion has been confirmed, there are several steps that the athlete MUST take before he/she can return to any athletic games, practices or events at BMCHS.

This process includes:

1. Waiting for the athlete to be 100% symptom-free 

2. A return of baseline scores for the computer-based ImPact test

3. A full doctor’s clearance AND the doctor’s note given directly to the Athletic Trainer

   1. If the note is given to a coach please direct that note to the ATC

4. 5 days of progressive exercise mandated by the Center for Disease Control

   1. On Day 5 the athlete may be cleared for full participation back into all athletics and gym/weight lifting activities at BMCHS.

This process is guided by the ATC due to the complicated nature of the injury and recovery of concussions in adolescent athletes. The proper and legal steps must be taken before full clearance is achieved. You will be updated many times throughout the process by the ATC. Please feel free to reach out with any questions, concerns, etc. 

Coaches’ Pocket List of Action

1. All head injuries, no matter how minor, result in athlete being removed from competition

2. Athletic Trainer is notified immediately (Sarah cell – 303-304-6047)

3. Athlete may not return until cleared (no matter if they report feeling fine)

4. Coaches DO NOT make the determination of an athlete’s return to play; the protocol is in place