Athletic Training

Taft’s athletics team includes three certified athletic trainers, dedicated solely to the care, prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of injuries. These highly trained sports medicine professionals support all Taft athletes by providing high quality health care services, with a focus on the overall safety and well-being of our community.

All students must be screened by the athletic trainers prior to sports participation. The screening will consist of flexibility assessment, height, and weight. A computer generated baseline concussion test will be done on every new student.

Emergency Action Plan

What is a Certified Athletic Trainer?

Certified athletic trainers (ATC) are highly educated, skilled professionals specializing in athletic health care. ATCs play an integral role in school communities, sports medicine clinics, professional sports programs, and other athletic healthcare settings. They work in partnership with physicians and other allied health professionals.

Athletic trainers provide professional care for athletic injuries, provide early evaluation and intervention, offer prevention education, and develop and deliver appropriate treatment plans. They also provide medical referrals when needed.

ATCs specialize in five important areas:

• Prevention of athletic injuries
• Recognition, evaluation and immediate care of athletic injuries
• Rehabilitation and reconditioning of athletic injuries
• Healthcare administration
• Professional development and responsibility

Certified athletic trainers have fulfilled the requirements for certification established by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Board of Certification, Inc. (NATABOC).

Taft is a First Team Safe Sports School

The National Athletic Trainers’ Association has named Taft a First Team Safe Sports School. The award champions safety and recognizes secondary schools that provide safe environments for student athletes. Safe Sports School recognition honors the highest level of care, injury prevention, and treatment and requires schools to:

• 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 about the potential benefits and risks in sports as well as their responsibilities

Current Taft student? Find more helpful information here.