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Coaches turn caretakers

By DAWN REISS
Published June 23, 2006

Citrus County coaches will be more prepared than ever this fall for their athletes.

A recent county-wide mandate means all coaches, at middle school and high school levels, will have to be certified in CPR and first aid before the start of their athletic seasons.

In an e-mail, Jim Hughes, the Citrus County School Board's coordinator of health, physical education and special programs, stated the decision: "As a progressive measure to provide the most appropriate care for the prevention of injuries and illnesses for our student athletes.''

The new rule will, at a minimum, double the amount of CPR /first aid certified coaches in the county, according to Cathy Reckenwald, the student health specialist for School Board. She anticipates training at least 60 more coaches to comply with the new county rule.

The state already mandates that a certain number of school employees by certified. For Citrus County there are 18 school-designated health room attendants, who have designated backups, along with two additional people per school, Reckenwald said.

Citrus athletic director Vicki Overman is excited about the new plan.

"It just makes sense,'' Overman said. "You're prepared to do what needs to be done."

The training will help coaches be more prepared to deal with basic first-aid injuries common to sports. Overman knows first hand how important that is after a soccer official had a heart attack during a game.

"Having someone who knew how to use an AED (automated external defibrillator) saved his life," she said.

But the new School Board rule will not change the fact that unlike Marion County, Citrus County does not have any full-time paid athletic trainers on staff, according to Lecanto athletic director Dick Slack. So the burden falls on volunteers and coaches.

Lecanto girls basketball and assistant football coach Ron Allan said he has heard discussions about getting paid trainers since the early 1980s.

"Unfortunately, it's going to take something happening, and someone getting sued before something is done," Allan said.

Still, Allan is excited about the mandate. For the past few years, he has paid out of pocket - $35 - annually to make sure he is trained.

Allan said he needed to be trained for his summer job as a parks and recreation supervisor, but uses the knowledge on an almost daily basis during the football season and once or twice a week during basketball.

"It's a painless six to eight hours,'' Allan said. "Yes, it's an inconvenience, but if you're not willing to spend that small amount of time you probably shouldn't be a coach."

[Last modified June 22, 2006, 21:40:04]