It’s August! National Cheer Safety Month 2024 is Here!!

One of the most important parts of any safety program is preventing injuries from happening in the first place. There are many ways to do that, as addressed in the USA Cheer Safety Manual and the accompanying USA Cheer Safety & Risk Management Course. Be sure to:

• Establish communication between athletes, coaches, and parents/caregivers.
• Have proper footwear, practicewear, surface, and environment
• Stretch properly before (dynamic) and after practice (static)
• Follow your athletic trainer’s advice and proper protocols for returning from any injury
• Work in progressions, from lower to higher, and from easier to more advanced body positions.

Coaches – As the person directly responsible for safety in your program, it’s vital to stay up-to-date on safety issues like this year’s rules changes, the current safety protocols, and the latest techniques for skill development. As you kick off your new season, be sure to implement skill progressions and spotting drills as part of your practice regimen.

Athletes – Take ownership of your skills and your role in partner stunts. If you don’t feel comfortable with a skill, feel you need to practice the leadup skills more, or aren’t sure of a grip – speak up! Stay focused while performing skills and know how to safely catch in the event a skill comes down.

Administrators – Support the safety needs of your program with coaches’ education, proper training environment, and athletic trainers. Drop in to practice and let the team know how important they are!

Parents/Caregivers – Be sure your coach is properly trained and that the program is supported with their needs. Back up the coach and their training, especially when your athlete feels like they want to go faster. Using skill progressions will help everyone in the long run!

What would you do in the event of a serious injury, someone on your team having cardiac arrest, or a tornado warning hits during an afternoon practice? As you get ready to kick off the season, make sure your team is properly prepared! No injury prevention plan is 100%, and the best time to plan for emergencies is before they happen. Let’s use this week to make sure plans are in place and practiced!

Preparedness Resources:

• USA Cheer Emergency Action Plan
• USA Cheer Concussion Resources
• Heat Illness Prevention
  • Heat Illness Prevention Course (nfhslearn.com)
  • Heat Illness: Keeping Youth Sports Athletes Safe (truesport.org) 
• First Aid, Health and Safety Course (nfhslearn.com)
• CPR & AED Training Course (nfhslearn.com)
• Sudden Cardiac Arrest Course (nfhslearn.com)

Coaches – Work with your administration and medical resources such as your school nurse or athletic trainer to develop your emergency action plan. Know where your institution’s AEDs are located and how to use them. Find out where the closes storm shelters are to practice. Once plans are in place, communicate everything to your athletes and parent, and be sure to practice your plans before you have to put them into action. Also use this week to make sure all of your athletes and parents know the signs of a concussion and the importance of sitting out until fully healed and cleared. 

Athletes – Know your role in the emergency plan. Who’s your partner? Be ready to act with confidence if you have to initiate the emergency plan. Do you know the signs of a concussion? If you or one of your teammates sustains a blow that might be a concussion, bring it to the attention of the coach and make sure to follow the concussion protocols for a safe return to play. 

Administrators – Support your program by making sure your coaches are properly trained and following all policies and procedures.

Parents – Know the signs of a concussion. Concussions often don’t show symptoms immediately, so you might be the first to notice something is off. Ask questions and help follow the proper protocols for a safe return.

In all sports and activities, nothing is more important than the protection and well-being of the athlete.

In addition to preventing physical injury, this includes the prevention, identification, and proper reporting of bullying, hazing, physical and emotional misconduct and sexual abuse. USA Cheer requires that all USA Cheer members complete either the coach or athlete version of the Athlete Protection Course as part of membership. In addition, a version of the course is made available for all parents and caregivers.

Athlete Protection Resources:

• USA Cheer Athlete Protection Courses
  • Coaches and Club Owners
  • Parents and Caregivers
  • Athletes
• Safe Sport Resources – USA Cheer
  • USA Cheer Safe Sport Code
  • Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies (MAAPP)
• NFHS Courses
  • Protecting Students from Abuse
  • Bullying, Hazing and Inappropriate Behavior (nfhslearn.com)
  • Hazing Prevention for Students Course (nfhslearn.com)

Coaches – Follow the Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies (MAAPP) from USA Cheer and that are outlined in the athlete protection course to help prevent abuse and misconduct in your program. These policies should be made clear to your athletes, parents, and anyone working with your program. They should all know how to help prevent abuse and misconduct through following the policies, identify when misconduct has happened, and properly report it. 

Athletes – Understand that bullying and hazing are not okay, and that just because it was done to someone in the past doesn’t mean it should continue. Know that policies such as “no one-to-one contact with an adult” are in place to help protect you and all of your teammates. Learn about the signs of grooming and red flags by taking the free USA Cheer Athlete Protection course.

Administrators – Conduct background screenings on all adults who will have direct contact with your program and make sure they know and follow the policies that are in place to prevent abuse and misconduct.

Parents – Make sure your coaches and others working with the program have had background screenings and are following the policies designed to prevent abuse from happening. Take the free parent/caregiver athlete protection course from USA Cheer to know the red flags and signs of grooming, and report issues to the appropriate authorities.