Mammoth High School Receives Safe Sports School Award

Mammoth Hospital’s Athletic Training Program Integral Part of Keeping Local Students Safe

Mammoth High School is the recipient of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) Safe Sports School award for its athletics programs. The award champions safety and recognizes secondary schools that provide safe environments for student athletes. The award reinforces the importance of providing the best level of care, injury prevention and treatment.

“Mammoth High School is honored to receive this 1st Team recognition from NATA, and we remain committed to keeping our student athletes safe during physical education classes, team practices and games so they can accomplish their own goals of great competition, winning records, fair sportsmanship and good health,” said Lois Klein, Superintendent of Mammoth Unified School District. “Our goal is to lead our athletics program to the highest safety standards for our players.”

Mammoth High School is one of only 26 1st Team Safe Sports Schools in California. Mike McMahon, Athletic Trainer at Mammoth Hospital, is very pleased to be recognized in the program’s fourth year. “This award is the culmination of four years of Mammoth Hospital and Mammoth Unified School District working together to achieve the highest standards of sports safety,” says McMahon. “Working with Chris Powell, Lois Klein, Heidi Thompson, and all of the coaches throughout this process has been a pleasure. At Mammoth Hospital, we have a motto of “Patients First” and it’s clear that MUSD follows a “Students First” philosophy in everything they do. Throughout this process the focus has always been on what is best for the student’s safety, long-term health, and success. My hope is that this encourages sport participation in order to increase the health of our entire student body.”

In order to achieve Safe Sport School status, as Mammoth High School did, athletic programs must do the following:

• Create a positive athletic health care administrative system
• Provide or coordinate pre-participation physical examinations
• Promote safe and appropriate practice and competition facilities
• Plan for selection, fit function and proper maintenance of athletic equipment
• Provide a permanent, appropriately equipped area to evaluate and treat injured athletes
• Develop injury and illness prevention strategies, including protocols for environmental conditions
• Provide or facilitate injury intervention
• Create and rehearse a venue-specific Emergency Action Plan
• Provide or facilitate psychosocial consultation and nutritional counseling/education
• Be sure athletes and parents are educated of the potential benefits and risks as well as responsibilities in sports.

If you would like to support this important program providing a safe environment to allow local kids to perform at their best , please consider making a donation by visiting our “Giving Back” page here.