Oct 30, 2014 2 min read

Keystone Oaks High School was awarded the National Athletic Trainers Association Safe Sports School Award. Keystone Oaks is one of only four schools in Allegheny County to receive the award, which champions safety and recognizes secondary schools that provide safe environments for student athletes.

In order to achieve Safe Sport School status, athletic programs must do the following:

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

The award reinforces the importance of providing the best level of care, injury prevention and treatment. To this extent, Keystone Oaks has two experienced on-site licensed athletic trainers, Gaetano Sanchioli, MS, LAT, ATC, PES and Monique Testa MS, LAT, ATC, PES, CF-1. They work to provide quality, state-of-the-art methods for the prevention of injuries, outstanding care, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries.

“This award is important because it gives athletic trainers the opportunity to reexamine all of our procedures, including standard operating procedures, coaches’ education programs, emergency action plans and overall treatment protocols,” Sanchioli said.