Whenever a high school athlete is injured it’s always a relief to see an athletic trainer hustling to the athlete to render assistance.
It would be better for all, especially the athletes’ parents, to be certain that the trainer has the certified qualifications to render that assistance.
California Assembly Bill 796 is making its way through the portals of state legislature. The bill would require that anyone who works as a high school sports athletic trainer is registered with the state as a trainer after having been certified by the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA).
CIF Southern Section commissioner Mike West started his work in high school sports as an athletic trainer at Ayala High School in 1994 and would become president of the California Athletic Trainers Association. He has plenty of interest and expertise in the field of athletic trainers.
West said the bill would ensure that high school sports athletic trainers are qualified to care for injured athletes, in games and matches and at practices.
“This would enable us to regulate the profession of athletic trainers,” said West, in his first year as CIF-SS commissioner. “The certified athletic trainer who is certified by the NATA would have to register in the state so we know who they are. You couldn’t call yourself an athletic trainer and provide athletic training services.”
Several Orange County school districts require that only certified trainers can work as trainers at their contests. Anaheim Union High School District and the Santa Ana Unified School District are among them.
Dr. Mike Shepard is an orthopaedic surgeon at the Orthopaedic Specialty Institute and serves as the team doctor for Servite. He has also served in that role for UC Irvine, Cal State Fullerton and the Angels. He is an advocate for getting certified trainers at high school sporting events.
“California is the only state that does not certify athletic trainers,” Shepard said. “The idea of…
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