Sports Medicine

The athletic training staff provides the best available athletic healthcare to the students of the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District and their opponents. The ultimate goal is to return student-athletes to the activity they love as safely and quickly as possible. The student-athlete’s health in not just athletics, but academics, daily life, and future endeavors is the number one priority.

About Athletic Trainers

Athletic trainers (ATs) are highly-qualified and multi-skilled healthcare professionals who render service or treatment, under the direction of or in collaboration with a physician, in accordance with their education, training, and the state's statutes, rules, and regulations.

Becoming An Athletic Trainer

ATs:

Attend and graduate from a CAATE-accredited athletic training education program. The Majority of programs have moved into an entry level master's degree. A list of accredited programs can be found on the CAATE's website.
Pass a national certification test called the BOC.
Obtain State Credentials. Most states require a license to practice. Some states have other forms of regulation, including registration or certification.
Attend continuing education (CE) to maintain certification. ATs must participate in 50 hours of CE every two years, including their CPR/AED re-certification.

Athletic Training Domains

Domains are the general areas in which ATS are responsible for providing care. They encompass everything an AT does on a daily basis and much more. Some examples are given below each domain but if you are interested, each domain is broken down further by the NATA and BOC.

Risk Reduction, Wellness, & Health Literacy
- Educating coaches and student-athletes on nutrition, hydration, injury prevention, and weight lifting
- Weather monitoring
- Preventative warmup planning
Assessment, Evaluation, and Diagnosis
- Evaluating orthopedic injuries
- Evaluating concussions
- Evaluating general medical conditions
- Determining return-to-play status
Critical Incident Management
- CPR/AED usage
- Emergency splinting
- Developing emergency action plans
Therapeutic Intervention
- Therapeutic modalities
- Therapeutic exercises
- Taping/bracing
- First aid
Healthcare Administration & Professional Responsibility
- Developing policies for sport safety
- Documentation
- Communicating with parents, teachers, and administration
- Maintaining continuing education to stay current on best practices

Athletic Training Settings at UCFSD

All home in-season practices and competitions that are on-site are conducted with an AT present on school grounds. Out of season sports are not covered (unless they occur while an in season sport is present). Away events are covered by the host schools' AT except for UHS Varsity Football, where an AT travels with the team. Off-campus sports and club sports do not typically have an AT provided by UCFSD, but student-athletes in those sports are welcome to come into the athletic training room for evaluation of injuries. All athletes (in-season, out-of-season, and club) must follow UCFSD athletics guidelines and policies. A physician and EMS are also present for all home high school varsity football games.

Other Athletic Training Settings

Athletic trainers work in a variety of settings besides middle and high schools. Some places you might find athletic trainers providing health care include:

College athletics
Professional sports (traditional sports, NASCAR, rodeo, etc.)
Performing arts (dance, marching bands, Cirque du Soleil, etc.)
Tactical medicine (military, police academies, firefighters)
Physician offices (as physician extenders)
Physical therapy/sports rehabilitation clinics
Research/education
Healthcare administration
Industrial/ergonomics (factories, assembly lines, UPS, etc.)

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if my child gets hurt during UCFSD Athletics?

The AT on site will initiate care and evaluate the injury. If, in the athletic trainer's opinion, the injury can be treated at school, the athletic trainer will reevaluate and treat the injury until your student-athlete can return safely to sport. If the athletic trainer thinks the injury needs to be seen by another provider, the AT will alert you and provide recommendations moving forward.

*Certain injuries (i.e. concussions and skin lesions) must be referred based on school policy and/or NFHS/PIAA guidelines.

Does my child need a doctor’s note to return to UCFSD Athletics?

Yes! Anytime you visit a physician or specialist for an injury sustained in school or out of school, a note is required to return to athletics. The injury should, if possible, have a diagnosis and a timetable for returning to sport. In some cases (such as skin lesions) a note is required on a specific form. Please ask the ATs if you have any question on what form is needed for a specific injury.

*Please note, in some cases (such as a concussions and skin lesions), specific guidelines and protocols must be completed before returning to sport. For example, even with clearance following a skin infection, the NFHS requires a student-athlete be on medication for a certain amount of days. For diagnosed concussions, students must complete a 5-step return to play protocol with the athletic trainers or submit proof of completing this protocol elsewhere.

What is the return policy on equipment borrowed from UCFSD Athletics?

Items such as braces, walking boots, and crutches are commonly loaned out by the ATs to injured student-athletes. In the event one is borrowed, student-athletes will be asked to fill out a sign-out form acknowledging that they received the item in the listed condition and will return it at the end of the sports season. Once the item is no longer needed or the season has ended, the item must be returned to the athletic training room. If the item is needed beyond the end of a season, arrangements must be made with an AT and will be decided on a case-by-case basis. If your student-athlete does not return it or it is significantly damaged (normal wear and tear is expected), they may be charged for a replacement.

What do the letters after an athletic trainer’s name mean?

Forms

UCFSD Concussion Physician Evaluation Form

NFHS Wrestling Skin Lesion Evaluation Form

Resources

UCFSD Policies

UCFSD Nursing

NaTA AT Your Own Risk Site

NCYS Stop Sports Injuries Site

CDC Heads Up Site

Meet Our Sports Medicine Team

Unionville High School: Sydney Schnarrs
Charles F. Patton Middle School: Kathy Walsh-Shell