PARTICIPANT SAFETY IS FIRST!

Palos Verdes Youth Football & Cheer is concerned about safety. Under the guidelines of Pop Warner, players compete with kids of similar age and size. Pop Warner is the ONLY youth football program (local, regional and national) that sets and enforces a strict age & weight matrix that reduces the risk and reality of injuries.

TACKLE FOOTBALL SAFETY

The injury rate in Pop Warner Football is less than one-third the injury rate in high school football (AND) less than one-fifth the injury rate in college football (AND) less than one-ninth the injury rate in professional football. Furthermore, Pop Warner's age-weight schematic protects younger, lighter players, who do not have higher injury rates.

The Institute of Sports Medicine and Athletic Trauma in New York completed a Pop Warner injury survey in 71 towns covering over 5,000 players in 1998. The injury experience of 5,128 boys (8 to 15 years of age, weight 22.5 to 67.5 kg [50 to 150 lb]) participating in youth football revealed an overall rate of significant injury of 5%, with 61% classified as moderate and 38.9% as major injuries. That's about 1.33 per team per year. No catastrophic injuries occurred, and it was rare for a permanent disability to result from any injury.

2012 Pop Warner Tackle Rule Changes Regarding Practice & Concussion Prevention:
In our continuing efforts to provide the safest playing environment for our young athletes, and in light of developing concussion research, we would like to announce some important rule changes for the 2012 season. With these rule changes, Pop Warner becomes the first youth football organization to officially limit contact during practices. The changes can be found in the 2012 Official Pop Warner Rule Book and are a result of the advice of our Medical Advisory Board and the direct input of Pop Warner regional and local administrators and coaches.

Study: Concussions Less Prevalent in Young Players
A new study shows youth football players are diagnosed with fewer concussions than other injuries. The results, obtained by The Associated Press, show 4.3 percent of players from ages 5 to 14 had concussions and that 90 percent of youth players reported no injuries. Thirty-four percent of the more than 4,000 youth players surveyed over the last two years, complained of bruises, the most common injury. Ligament sprains came in second at 16 percent.
Read the Full Article on Youth Concussions Here+
 

CHEER SAFETY

Below are some tips compiled by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association that help reduce cheerleader injuries at all levels:

1. Proper Conditioning: Physically prepare and maintain your body’s strength, flexibility, and stamina for stunting and tumbling. Strengthen your core muscles (abdominal and lower back muscles) along with the upper and lower body and include aerobic (running, jogging, cycling, swimming) and anaerobic (wind sprints, circuit training) activities.
2. Exercise Reminders: Warm up, stretch and cool down for every practice or competition and be sure to rest.
3. Proper Equipment: Practice on mats or padded flooring until your routines are perfected. Make sure the mats are adequately sized and sufficient for the activities you’re performing.
4. Spotting: Have trained spotters present and engaged at all times.
5. Knowledgeable Coaches: Make sure your coaches are certified in safety, first aid, CPR and AED use.
6. No Horseplay: Focus at all times during stunting and tumbling activities.
7. Communication: Request that your coaches review safety precautions, rules and regulations with the squad on a regular basis, and that they establish and implement an emergency action plan.
8. Read Safety Guidelines: Ask your coaches to be familiar with the latest Pop Warner Rules Book, YCADA (Youth Cheer and Dance Alliance) safety guidelines and participate in the ASEP (American Sport Education Program) Coaches Online Education Training for basics in cheerleading principles;
9. Know Your Limits: Be aware of your ability level and do not attempt advanced level gymnastic or stunting skills before mastering less advanced skills. Always have a supervisor present.
10. Treatment of Injuries: Promptly attend to any injuries you sustain. Your school or organization’s athletic trainer can assist in the proper treatment and prevention of such injuries. He or she can also offer an injury prevention education seminar and assist in creating the conditioning routine.

CPR & FIRST AID CERTIFICATION

Pop Warner rules require that “All practices must be attended by one person holding a Red Cross Community CPR and a First Aid certification OR National Center for Sports Safety PREPARE Certificate of Completion, or equivalent, if not by an EMT or volunteer physician.” In the absence of a specialized, trained person affiliated with the team in the medical area (physician, paramedic, specially trained volunteer, Certified Athletic Trainer), Palos Verdes Youth Football & Cheer requires the Head Coach as well as an Assistant Coach to be the holders of a current Red Cross Certificate in Community CPR and First Aid, or the P.R.E.P.A.R.E. Course by the National Center for Sport Safety or its equivalent.

INJURY PREVENTION

A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury, or TBI, caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head that can change the way your brain normally works. Concussions can also occur from a fall or a blow to the body that causes the head and brain to move quickly back and forth. Health care professionals may describe a concussion as a “mild” brain injury because concussions are usually not life-threatening. Even so, their effects can be serious. Any participant that has had an injury at practice play or competition due to a head injury or suspected concussion may NOT return to his/her team/squad until the participant has been evaluated by a currently licensed medical professional trained in the evaluation and management of concussions and receives written clearance to return to play from the licensed practioner. Palos Verdes Youth Football and Cheer with Pop Warner recommends that all decisions be made in the best interest of the children and that when any doubt exists as to the health of the participant, they sit out.

MANDATORY BACKGROUND CHECKS

PVYF&C is concerned about the safety of our participants and does not want to put any of our participants in harms way. ALL coaches and badged personnel are required to be LiveScanned in order to be on the field with our players, for the safety of our participants. Those that have not submitted to a LiveScan background check are NOT allowed to be on the field at practices or games, at all, ever, NO EXCEPTIONS.

INJURY REPORTS:

 PVYFC Injury Report Form :  Click to download