Youth sports might not seem as dangerous as professional sports, but there are still physical risks involved.
Safety precautions should be taken in every sport, and at Liberty Mutual Insurance Play Positive™ we encourage coaches and parents to educate themselves on where to find information on preventing and identifying head injuries, especially concussions.
We sat down with U.S. Ski Team standout Alice McKennis to get her thoughts on how youth athletes, coaches and Positive Sport Parents can help provide proper protection of the head.
In our exclusive TAKE 5 interview, Alice told us that the top priority for everyone involved in skiing should always be wearing a helmet – and wearing one that fits snugly and securely.
“Always wear a helmet and make sure it fits properly!” said Alice.
According to Alice, parents and coaches should always be involved in the helmet purchasing and fitting process.
“Parents can make sure they take the first step and purchase a safe helmet for their kids,” said Alice. “They can also educate their children on the consequences of what might happen if they don’t use a helmet.
“Coaches can make sure that athletes have a helmet that is up to standard, and that it fits properly. They can also regulate that the athletes wear their helmets at all times when skiing.”
Alice said that while wearing a proper-fitting helmet goes a long way towards helping to protect youth athletes against head injuries, incidents and accidents can still happen in the fast-moving sport of skiing. According to Alice, it’s imperative for everyone involved in skiing to keep their heads up when it comes to the issue of concussions.
“Often after a big crash where a child might have hit his or her head, there might not be the proper follow up to look for a concussion and be sure that the child is OK and does not need medical treatment,” said Alice. “Simple tests can often be overlooked.”
Alice added that skiers can also help reduce the risk of head and other injuries by learning to always “ski within their abilities” on the slopes.
“Speed is the biggest factor when it comes to head injuries in skiing, but I would never want to make skiing slower,” said Alice. “If skiers would instead stay in control and ski within their abilities instead of trying to ski at a speed that they are unable to ski safely at and in control of, it could help lessen head injuries.”
To read the full TAKE 5 interview with Alice, visit PlayPositive.com. And come back next month for another exclusive TAKE 5 interview!