Athletic Training Department

The primary role of the Athletic Training Department is service to the athletic community. The sports medicine staff provides quality health care to all students at the Taft School. We are devoted to the care, prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of injuries with our primary objective being the safety and welfare of all students.

What is a Certified Athletic Trainer?

The certified athletic trainer is a highly educated and skilled professional specializing in athletic health care. In cooperation with physicians and other allied health personnel, the ATC functions as an integral member of the athletic health care team in secondary schools, colleges and universities, sports medicine clinics, professional sports programs and other athletic health care settings.

Through an advanced educational background, athletic trainers are able to provide the professional care, early evaluation and treatment of athletic injuries, and proper medical referral. Athletic trainers provide quality health care, and educate athletes in prevention of injuries.

The certified athletic trainer specializes in five domains. These domains have been identified as those necessary to function effectively as certified athletic trainer.

Prevention of athletic injuries
Recognition, evaluation and immediate care of athletic injuries.
Rehabilitation and reconditioning of athletic injuries
Health Care 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).

Mission Statement

The primary role of the Athletic Training Department is service to the athletic community.
The sports medicine staff provides quality health care to all students at the Taft School.
The athletic training department’s main goal is for the safety and welfare of all students.
The athletic training staff is devoted to the care, prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of injuries.

Coaches Information

First Aid Kits

Each team is provided with a basic first aid kit that has necessary supplies in it. The kits are ready prior to your first games and should be picked up from the athletic training room. It is recommended that you have the kits with you at practices to avoid having players leave your field for minor needs (i.e. Band-Aids).

Medical Release Forms

Medical release forms are no longer in the teams’ first aid kits. If it is necessary to transport an injured athlete to an emergency room/clinic, upon arrival at the site, you are to call the Health Center (860- 945-7762) and the nurse on duty will fax the form there. The list of all emergency need-to-know numbers will be in the first aid kits.

Practice equipment

The athletic trainers are responsible for issuing all protective equipment. At no time should this equipment be altered by a player or coach.

Accessory Equipment

Game equipment and water bottles, jugs, cups, and mouth guards are issued by the equipment manager. An ice chest and field radio may be signed out from the athletic training room for practices and games. It is best to make this the manager’s responsibility. A field radio is to be at every practice and game and should be returned to the athletic training room at the end of the day. A coach may sign a radio and charger out for the season. It is the responsibility of the coach to have this unit out at every practice and home game.

Preseason Screening

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.

Helpful Information for Students

All students must be screened prior to sport participation. The screening includes height, weight and flexibility assessment.
Students who are on term rehab must report everyday to the Taft athletic training room. If you are unable to attend you should notify the athletic trainers via phone call or email. Failure to do so will result in grades being submitted for cutting ex.
An injury that occurs after hours or at an away game should be reported to the health center. The nurse on duty will notify the head athletic trainer of your status.
Prior to starting a sport you should have the proper sneakers or cleats for the activity.
All students are required to sign in when coming to the athletic training room.
Proper dress is shorts , a t-shirt and sneakers.
Students who are seen by an outside physician or taken to the emergency room, should have a written diagnosis or medical orders upon arrival to Taft.

Injury Management Procedures

Home Games

Unless you recognize the injury as a minor one, do not move the player from the area. Call for an athletic trainer immediately.

Away Games

In the event of an injury, have the home team athletic trainer(s)or medical personnel check the athlete.

If the injury is minor, follow the instructions of the home team medical personnel. If it is determined that the athlete needs to be taken to the hospital, it is the coach’s responsibility to accompany the athlete unless the parents are present.

If you are the only coach, the coach of the home team will become responsible for your team while you are gone. Your team is to remain at the school until you return there. You must notify Taft (health center and duty office) of the situation as soon as possible.

Emergency Procedures

Emergency Vehicle Plan for Taft Fields and Facilities

In the event of an injury that necessitates a call for 911 assistance by the athletic trainers the following should take place:

Request for emergency vehicle made to the Health Center over field radio.
Location of injured player and injury assessment given to nurse on duty
Security asked to meet ambulance and lead (direct) them to the field/area

LOWER FIELDS

Access to the lower fields should be from North Street. The vehicle should be directed to take the LEFT onto the gravel road across from Warren Way. The teams assigned to the lower fields are:

XCountry
Intramural Soccer
Varsity Baseball
BJVBaseball
Softball

UPPER FIELDS

Access to the upper fields should be through the main gate. Security personnel may have to lead the vehicle to the appropriate field. The teams assigned to the upper fields are:

BVSoccer
GVField
Hockey
GVLacrosse
GJVField
Hockey
GThirds
Field Hockey
GJVLacrosse
GThirds
Lacrosse
GVSoccer
BVLacrosse
Football
Track
GJVSoccer
BJVLacrosse
BThirds
Soccer
BThirds
Lacrosse
Tennis

MAYS RINK

Access to the Mays Rink should be from Guernseytown Road. Emergency personnel may find it easier to gain entrance to the rink by parking in the Zamboni driveway rather than coming in the front door to the lobby. This arrangement will be stated when the emergency call is placed.

CRUIKSHANK BUILDING

Access to this building will depend upon the physical location of the injury. The following activities could be involved: An emergency in the athletic training room, an injury involving squash, basketball, volleyball, wrestling or an injury in the weight room. Injuries that occur on the 2nd floor should be accessed from the archway of the Odden Arena. Access to injuries in the McCullough Gym should be through the main gate of campus, travel alongside the tennis courts toward Mays rink and turn into the area between Mays Rink and McCullough Gym.

ODDEN ARENA

Emergency vehicles may park in designated space on the side of the arena and emergency personnel may enter through these doors. Occasionally the better access to the ice area will be through the back side of the arena, into the door that is closest to the first aid room. This is the last door as you come behind the building and this entryway will allow for access to the first aid room and also onto the ice. The back gate should be unlocked during Taft events.

OTHER

If the injured player/ spectator is in another location we will be as specific as we can be regarding entry to the area and location of the individual.

Athletic Training Room Policies and Procedures

HOURS OF OPERATION

Monday 1:00 PM- 6:00 PM
Tuesday 1:00 PM- 6:00 PM
Wednesday 12:00 PM- 2:15 PM
Thursday 1:00 PM- 6:00 PM
Friday 1:00 PM- 6:00 PM
Saturday 12:00 PM- 2:15 PM

Wednesday and Saturday training room hours will change due to game coverage. Winter term, the room is open until the end of evening practices.

Proper dress attire in the athletic training room (t-shirts, sneakers and athletic shorts)
No cleats!
All rehab equipment should be returned to it’s proper place.
Be courteous and respectful of each other.
No food or drinks in the room.
All exercise equipment should be signed out.
Shoes are not allowed while on the treatment tables.
No lotion on hands or legs, prior to using the whirlpool.
No sports equipment in the athletic training room.
No flip flops!

Visiting Team Info

A certified athletic trainer will be available for all home games either in person or a radio call away. The Taft athletic training room is available to visiting teams. Pre-game taping and treatment (if necessary) are available providing we are notified in advance. It is recommended that visiting teams come with their own supplies.