Frances Sadler Honored with Top SCISA Award for Scholar Athletes in SC

Source: sadlersports.com - Frances Sadler Honored with Top SCISA Award for Scholar Athletes in SC
Author: John M. Sadler

Hammond School senior Frances Sadler was presented the South Carolina Independent School Association Bill Simpson Award on May 22 by Athletic Director Mike Fanning.

The SCISA Bill Simpson Award is the highest honor bestowed each on year on the top graduating male and female scholar athletes in the more than 100-member independent school system in South Carolina. The award exemplifies the academic and athletic ideals that Mr. Simpson represented throughout his career as SCISA athletic secretary. The award is based on a combination of SAT score, class rank, academic and athletic achievements, headmaster and coach recommendations, student service record and community service.

Sadler is an Honor Graduate, member of the Cum Laude Society, a Junior Marshall, and the recipient of the Joseph Walker-Sumpter Mills Clarke Scholar/Athlete Award. She played soccer and ran track for Hammond School. She was a starter on the varsity soccer team since the 8th grade and is thought to be the second-leading female goal scorer in Hammond school history. She has been named to the SCISA all-region, all-state, and all-star teams and the High School Sports Report All-star Soccer Team. She also participated with the Hammond Select Ensemble, was a volunteer coach with the Columbia Swim League, and raised over $28,000 for Hammond School through gift wrap paper sales.

Sadler plans on attending the Calhoun Honors College of Clemson University in the fall, majoring in engineering.

Read Full Story: http://www.sadlersports.com/blog/frances-sadler-honored-top-scisa-award-scholar-athletes-sc/

Top 10 Sports & Recreation Injuries

Source: sadlersports.com - Top 10 Sports & Recreation Injuries
Author: John M. Sadler

Where’s the outrage for non-football related injuries?

I was reading through a recent list of common sports and recreation injuries and began to wonder why football and other higher risk sports get most of the negative media attention? Why not boating, bicycling, skiing, snowboarding, inflatable moon bounce, ATV, golf carts, or home injuries? Why is the media not screaming for these activities to be banned? Is the media biased against football?

To follow is the recently published list that prompts the question:

1. Kids ages 5 to 14 made up 52 percent of football-related injuries requiring emergency room visits in 2012.


2. 
   

   The U.S. Coast Guard reported 500 deaths, 2,620 injuries and $39 million in property damage related to recreational boating accidents in 2013.



3. Alcohol use is the no. 1 contributing factor in fatal boating accidents and contributes to 16 percent of boating-related deaths.


4. The top five contributing factors to boating accidents are operator inexperience, operator inattention, improper lookout, excessive speed and machinery failure.


5. The National Highway Safety Traffic Administration reported 720 bicyclists killed and 49,000 injured in motor vehicle accidents in 2012.


6. 
   

   An average of 41.5 people died in skiing or snowboarding accidents each year between 2002 and 2012.



7. More than 90 percent of the 113,272 injuries treated in emergency rooms associated with inflatable amusements were related to moon bounces between 2003 and 2013.


8. Between 1982 and 2013, 13,043 ATV-related deaths were reported.


9. Approximately 13,000 golf cart-related accidents require a visit to the emergency room each year.


10. In 2012 there were approximately 89,000 accidental injury-related deaths in homes and communities nationwide.

It goes without saying that good risk management practices could have prevented many of these injuries and deaths. Whether you’re competing in sports or enjoying leisure recreational activities indoors or out, safety should always be a priority. Visit our risk management page for helpful information on keeping you, your teammates, friends and family safe.

Source: Spotlight, Insurance Journal,  04 May, 2015, Vol. 93, No. 9.

Read Full Story: http://www.sadlersports.com/blog/top-10-sports-recreation-injuries/

Bounce House Injuries

Source: sadlersports.com - Bounce House Injuries
Author: John M. Sadler

Lack of safety regulations means bouncer beware

Bounce houses are popular entertainment at carnivals, children’s parties, and other events. But news stories about flyaway bounce houses are becoming all too common.

More than 30 children a day are treated in emergency rooms across the country for inflatable-related injuries, such as broken bones and concussions. There were more than 113,000 injuries and 12 deaths associated with inflatables nationwide between 2003 and 2013, according to a U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission report.

Inflatables, which include bounce houses, water slides, and bounce-slide combinations, are not regulated nationally. Each state sets its own guidelines and some, like Florida and Nebraska, have no safety or operational standards in place.

Renters and users should be aware of the guidelines in their state and make sure the company providing the inflatable is practicing them. Ask to see the rental company’s inspection checklist and make sure they followed the printed warning labels when setting up the inflatable.

The Child Injury Prevention Alliance website offers bounce house safety tips for parents and children.

Source: Dan Krauth, “Company Behind Bounce House That Went Airborne Involved in Another Accident,” nbcmiami.com. 08 June, 2015.

Read Full Story: http://www.sadlersports.com/blog/bounce-house-injuries/

UF Softball’s Great Bambina

Source: sadlersports.com - UF Softball’s Great Bambina
Author: John M. Sadler

Gator pitcher ties the Babe’s record

University of Florida senior Lauren Haeger tied Babe Ruth’s record of pitching at least 70 winning games and hitting at least 70 home runs. Nicknamed the Haeger Bomb, the Gator pitcher is a wildly popular player who boosted ESPN’s prime-time broadcast of the last three games of the Women’s College World Series to 2 million.

Haeger is idolized by thousands of young softball playing girls who want to be just like her.

“It’s great to be a role model for them and show them it can happen because I was once in their shoes,” said Haeger.

Haeger is a product of the UF athletic program, which is serious about gender equity. Athletic director Jeremy Foley has watched his Gator teams  win the SEC All-Sports Trophy 22 of the last 23 years and 14 national titles since 2008 (more than than any school in the country). The UF women have won 10 national titles in the last five years.

 

Source: Mike Bianchi, “Bianchi: Haeger’s sunflower power is reason Gators softball outdraws NHL,” orlandosentinel.com, 06 June, 2015.

Read Full Story: http://www.sadlersports.com/blog/uf-softballs-great-bambina/

MLB and USA Baseball Hit Home Run with Pitch Smart

Source: sadlersports.com - MLB and USA Baseball Hit Home Run with Pitch Smart
Author: John M. Sadler

Program aims to reduce youth pitching injuries

Major League Baseball and USA Baseball recently developed the Pitch Smart compliance program to help identify the youth baseball organizations that have adopted its principles and guidelines.  Pitch Smart offers players, parents and coaches guidelines on avoiding overuse injuries.

Organizations can be designated as being in “full compliance” or “select compliance.”

Organizations in full compliance are required to:

1. follow the Pitch Smart pitch count and rest period guidelines pertaining to pitch counts across all competitions;


2. request that players, coaches and parents follow all additional Pitch Smart guidelines;


3. post or link to the Pitch Smart information on the organization’s website;


4. distribute Pitch Smart information to all coaches;


5. include Pitch Smart information in all formal coaches’ meetings; and


6. encourage parent and player awareness with the inclusion of Pitch Smart information in team orientation meetings.

Organizations in select compliance are required to:

1. follow the Pitch Smart pitch count and rest period guidelines across select competitions;


2. request that players, coaches and parents follow all additional Pitch Smart guidelines;


3. post or link to the Pitch Smart information on the organization’s website;


4. distribute Pitch Smart information to all coaches;


5. have a developed plan and continue to show progress in adopting all of the Pitch Smart full compliance standards standards.

“Education supporters” will also be recognized by the program. These groups help in promoting awareness of the Pitch Smart principles and are making continued efforts toward compliance in the program.

For a full list of organizations in full or select compliance, visit the Pitch Smart website, which also offers information on other pitching risk factors. You can also read more articles related to pitching injuries on our blog.

Read Full Story: http://www.sadlersports.com/blog/mlb-usa-baseball-hit-home-run-pitch-smart/

Treadmills Account for Most Equipment-related Health Club Injuries

Source: sadlersports.com - Treadmills Account for Most Equipment-related Health Club Injuries
Author: Sadler Copywriter

And most are preventable

The treadmill is the riskiest of all workout machines because it has a motor that propels it, unlike ellipticals and stationary bicycles. However, most injuries are minor and deaths, as in the David Goldberg case, are rare.

There were an average of three treadmill-related deaths per year reported between 2003 and 2013, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. There were 24,400 treadmill-related injuries requiring emergency room visits reported in 2014.  There were 62,700 injuries related to exercise equipment, which includes weights, trampolines, swimming pools, and golf clubs. Treadmills account for the largest number of injuries in that category.

Emergency room doctors report that the majority of injuries from sports equipment are associated with overuse, such as an injured tendon from a long run on a treadmill.

Treadmill accidents tend to occur more frequently among older and inexperienced users. Getting instructions on use of the machine is key in avoiding treadmill accidents and consulting with a physician before embarking on treadmill activity is highly recommended for seniors.

Unknown heart problems can surface with exercise, which can cause people to die suddenly while exercising. These types of hidden heart problems can be caused by a genetic abnormality or chronic coronary disease that cannot withstand strenuous exercise. Heart problems account for about 80 percent of sudden deaths in which people collapse and are unable to be resuscitated.

For more information see “Injuries at Gyms and Home.”

Source: Sabrina Tavernise, “Treadmill May Be Riskiest Machine,” nytimes.com, 05 May, 2015.

Read Full Story: http://www.sadlersports.com/blog/treadmills-account-equipmentrelated-health-club-injuries/

Benching of Youth Participants and Resulting Lawsuits

Source: sadlersports.com - Benching of Youth Participants and Resulting Lawsuits
Author: Sadler Copywriter

Parents who pay want their child to play

It’s not yet what you’d call a trend, but there’s certainly an uptick in the number of parents filing lawsuits to get their child off the bench and onto the playing field.

Parents put out big bucks in registrations fees, equipment and travel costs associated with high school and youth club and travel teams, to say nothing of the time they invest attending practices and traveling to games. Many parents sacrifice their time and money for their children hoping to get the attention of college coaches, earn scholarships, and improve chances of college admissions – or even advance a professional athletic career. So, it’s understandable that some are dissatisfied when their child rides the bench more than he or she plays. In other words, they expect a payoff for their investment.

There is also an increase in lawsuits by parents of children who have been cut from teams, injured, disciplined by coaches or penalized by officials. But is hiring an attorney the answer? Many are questioning not only the attitude of entitlement, but how the children, who generally play for the fun and camaraderie, are affected by such lawsuits. What are the children learning when parents step in so heavily handed to smooth the way? Will they learn they’re entitled to play on a team simply because they attend practice? And are parents setting these athletes up to be bullied by other team members?

The increasingly competitive nature of youth sports has helped shift many parents’ focus from fun, exercise and sportsmanship to an investment in their children’s academic and professional futures. Youth sports officials are watching the case of a 16-year-old volleyball player. The girl earned spot on a volleyball league but ended up on the bench, so her parents filed suit against the volleyball association, alleging it won’t let the girl play or to switch teams, per the contract she signed.

General Liability policies, which typically only respond to certain lawsuits alleging bodily injury or property damage, don’t cover these types of lawsuits that allege loss of college scholarship or loss of pro career. Such lawsuits generally require a Professional Liability endorsement on a General Liability policy or a stand alone Professional Liability policy.

Source: Tracey Schelmetic, sportsdestinations.com, 21 Apr. 2015.

Read Full Story: http://www.sadlersports.com/blog/benching-youth-participants-resulting-lawsuits/