Wolcott Youth Football & Cheer Association - Integrated Contingency Plan INTEGRATED CONTINGENCY PLAN

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Leonard Beasley
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1 Wolcott Youth Football & Cheer Association - Integrated Contingency Plan INTEGRATED CONTINGENCY PLAN

2 Wolcott Youth Football & Cheer Association - Integrated Contingency Plan

3 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Emergency Contacts Purpose and Scope Responsibilities Coaches Training Requirements Equipment Fitting 4-5, 6. Concussion Policy and Practice.. 5-5, 5-6, Heat preparedness and hydration 6-7, Heat injuries and recognition.. 7-8, Team emergency action plans Practice protocol 9-9, Practice prep and plans 10-10, USA football heads up football Sudden cardiac arrest Automated External Defibrillator (AED) locations Cancelation of practice Injuries beyond First Aid APPENDICES Appendix A - Helmet Fitting Appendix B - Shoulder Fitting Appendix C Team Emergency Action Plan Appendix D Training roster for PSC / Head coach meeting Appendix E Training roster for Head coach and parents meeting Appendix F Parents Concussion Fact Sheet Appendix G Accident Investigation Report 1

4 EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION President: James Pawlak (203) Vice President, Football Coordinator: Brandon Updegraff (860) Vice President, Cheerleading: Anna Bartoli (203) Equipment Manager: Mike Charbonneau (203) Player Safety Coach (PSC): Jeff Stango (203) (911 for MEDICAL Wolcott Police Department (203) Wolcott Volunteer Ambulance (203)

5 1. PURPOSE AND SCOPE This Integrated Contingency Plan (ICP) is a comprehensive reference document intended to satisfy emergency response planning requirements and protocol for the Wolcott Pop Warner Football & Cheerleading programs. It is our mission to comply with Northwestern, USA Football and CDC rules and guidelines to provide a safe experience for our youth players and their parents. 2. RESPONSIBILITES A. President Provide Assistance to VPF, PSC & EM and act as a back up to all B. Vice President (VPF) Provide Assistance to PSC & EM and act as a back up to each C. Player Safety Coach (PSC) - PSC is responsible for ensuring your league is in compliance with Heads Up Football health and safety protocols including coaching certification. Monitor and guide coaches throughout the season. D. Equipment Manager (EM) and assistant EM Responsible for managing all football equipment and ensuring all equipment is properly fitted to each player. 3. COACHES TRAINING REQUIREMENTS Coaches A. All coaches within the program are required to complete the USA Football Level 1 online certification course at usafootball.com which trains them in important health and safety issues along with the game s fundamentals prior to the start of conditioning and playing each year, August 1st. B. All head coaches attend Heads Up Coaches Clinic led by Player Safety Coach prior to start of conditioning, Aug 1 st. Training must be documented and records stored at Wolcott complex, refer to Appendix D. a. Areas to be covered during clinic i. Completing Level 1 Coaching course ii. Head Up Tackling and Blocking review iii. Concussion recognition and response iv. Heat Preparedness and Hydration v. Sudden Cardiac Arrest vi. Proper Equipment Fitting vii. Team Emergency Action Plans viii. Practice plans ix. Parent meeting 3

6 Head coaches will meet with parents prior to conditioning. Training must be documented and forwarded to PSC, refer to Appendix E. Records will be retained at Wolcott Complex. The following topics must be covered: b. Introduction i. Coaching staff and role ii. Team Mom or Dad iii. Parent introductions c. Team Information i. Practice schedule ii. Game schedule (if known) iii. Uniforms and equipment d. Introduce Heads Up Football i. Coaching staff has completed certification ii. Why it has been adapted to our football program iii. Notify that a Player Safety Coach has been designated to ensure compliance iv. Reinforce player safety e. Head Up Football cont. i. Concussion recognition and response. Hand out pamphlet, refer to Appendix F. ii. Heat preparedness and hydration iii. Sudden Cardiac arrest iv. Proper Equipment fitting f. Communication i. Organizations plan for ongoing communication ii. Encourage parents to visit to learn more 4

7 PSC A. Player Safety Coach completes online certification B. Player Safety Coach attends in-person clinic hosted by a USA Football Master Trainer Parents A. Head Coaches conduct Safety Meeting with parents 4. EQUIPMENT FITTING. A. HELMET, SEE APPENDIX A B. SHOULDER PADS, SEE APPENDIX B 5. CONCUSSION POLICY AND PRACTICE A. Definition of a concussion Concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury, is caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head. Concussions can also occur from a blow to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth-literally causing the brain to bounce around or twist within the skull. This sudden movement of the brain causes stretching and tearing of brain cells, damaging the cells and creating chemical changes in the brain. B. Concussion event cause and recognition a. Concussions can result from a fall or from athletes colliding with each other, the ground, or with an obstacle, such as a goalpost. Even a ding, getting your bell rung, or what seems to be a mild bump or blow to the head can be serious. C. SYMPTOMS and SIGNS a. SYMPTOMS REPORTED BY ATHLETE: Headache or pressure in head Nausea or vomiting Balance problems or dizziness Double or blurry vision Sensitivity to light Sensitivity to noise Feeling sluggish, hazy, foggy, or groggy Concentration or memory problems Confusion Just not feeling right or is feeling down 5

8 SIGNS OBSERVED BY COACHING STAFF: Appears dazed or stunned Is confused about assignment or position Forgets an instruction Is unsure of game, score, or opponent Moves clumsily Answers questions slowly Loses consciousness (even briefly) Shows mood, behavior, or personality changes Can t recall events prior to hit or fall Can t recall events after hit or fall D. Coaches responsibility a. If an event occurs coaches will immediately evaluate the player. The coach will repeatedly check for signs of a concussion and also tell parents what to watch out for at home. Any worsening of concussion signs or symptoms indicates a medical emergency. b. If signs or symptoms are observed the coach will remove the player from play and notify the parents and emergency response (depending on the severity, i.e. loss of consciousness, severe memory loss or confusion, etc.) c. All concussions will be reported to the PSC within 8 hours of the event. E. PSC responsibilities a. Perform a documented investigation of each concussion. Follow up with parents and coaches until the player is cleared to return. F. Return to play from a concussion a. Players may return to play with a physician s note stating they are cleared to play. b. Prior to returning to play the coach and PSC must be notified. G. Record keeping requirements a. A log will be kept which will list each player who has been diagnosed with a concussion by a physician. b. The log and physician return to play documents will be stored at Wolcott Complex. 6

9 H. Returning to play after being cleared by a physician a. Day 1 Begin with light aerobic exercise to increase the player s heart rate. This means 5 to 10 minutes walking or light jogging. b. Day 2 Continue with activities to increase the athlete s heart rate, with body to head movement. This includes moderate jogging and brief running. c. Day 3 Add heavy non-contact physical actives, such as sprinting and sprinting. d. Day 4 Return to Full practice. e. Day 5 Return to competition. 6. HEAT PREPAREDNESS AND HYDRATION A. The environment, equipment and intensity can place athletes at risk of heat illness. Heat illnesses represent conditions resulting from heat stress, which can be imposed by a number of factors but usually result from the environment or the body creating this heat load itself. Heat illnesses can range from minor to severe, and in particular, exertional heat stroke is a life-threatening emergency. B. heat acclimatization The first week of practice shall be devoted entirely and exclusively to conditioning, not wearing pads; however, helmets are permitted. C. Athletes Hydration a. Before exercise oz. of water or a sports drink. b. As requested by the athlete in all cases. c. After exercise continue to hydrate D. Water Breaks will be schedule approx. every 15 minutes during practice. Under 82 degrees F provide at least three separate rest breaks each hour with a minimum duration of 3 minutes 82 to 89 degrees F provide at least three separate rest breaks each hour with a minimum duration of 4 minutes 90 to 94 degrees F - provide at least four separate rest breaks each hour with a minimum duration of 4 minutes 95+ degrees F No outdoor practice 7

10 7. HEAT INJURIES AND RECOGNITION A. Coaches shall monitor athletes during all practices and games for symptoms of heat related illnesses. Recognition Causes Treatment Heat Syncope Heat Cramps Heat Exhaustion Refers to fainting or lightheadedness episode Lack of acclimatization and poor fitness. Blood pools in the lower extremities, reducing the heart s ability to provide enough circulation Lay the athlete on the ground and raise legs about 12 Painful, localized muscle cramps and may feel like they are wandering throughout the cramping muscle. Usually visible and the muscle will feel hard Combination of fatigue, dehydration and electrolyte losses through sweat. Lack of heat acclimatization and poor fitness Rehydration with water and sports drink Some light stretching or massage with ice on the cramping muscle The inability to continue exercise in the heat from either weakness or exhaustion May feel hot, tired, sweating a lot, weak, dizzy and don t feel able to continue exercise Caused by either excessive fluid losses or electrolyte losses Dehydration causes less blood to be available for the working muscles and the skin to give off heat Remove the athlete from activity and put them in a shaded / cool area Lay the athlete on the ground and raise legs about 12 Replenish lost fluids Prevention Heat acclimatization Arrive to practice well hydrated and having consumed some salt with the last meal. Return to Play The athlete should feel better within a few minutes, and full recovery is usually quick (within hours) Minimize fluid loses during exercise and replace fluids post exercise Heat acclimatization Once cramps resolve Without replacing fluids, risk of additional cramps is high Moderate cooling methods, such as ice towels, misting fans or cold water immersion Heat acclimatization Arrive to practice/ competition well hydrated Minimize fluid loses during exercise and replace fluids post exercise Should NOT return to activity on the same day Complete recovery usually takes hours and must focus on rehydration and rest 8

11 B. EXERTIONAL HEAT STROKE (EHS) a. Definition EHS occurs when a body reaches a temperature above 104 degrees F and there are obvious central nervous system (CNS) dysfunction. CNS dysfunction can include any of the following: dizziness, collapse, confusion, irrational behavior, aggressiveness, combativeness, disorientation, seizures and coma. b. Treatment a. Call 911 this is a medical emergency b. Aggressive cooling of the entire body should be done to lower the athlete s body temperature as fast as possible. Whole-body immersion is the best treatment. If unavailable, then attempts to cool the body through continual dousing with water and ice towels should be administered before EMS arrives and the athlete is taken to the hospital. c. Contact PSC as soon as possible and follow team emergency plan. 8. TEAM EMERGENCY ACTION PLANS A. Each team head coach will complete an Emergency action plan prior to August 1 st conditioning, see Appendix. B. A copy of the plan will be stored in the Team playbook at all times. 9. PRACTICE PROTOCOL a. At no time will any team practice for more than once per day. b. Before Labor Day no more than 10 hours per week, not more than 2.5 hours per day c. AFTER LABOR DAY: Practices after Labor Day weekend are limited to 6 hours per week. A week is deemed as Monday-Sunday. Practices after Labor Day weekend are not to exceed 2 hours per day. d. BREAKS: Break time is not counted against the ten (10) or six (6) hours per week or 2-1/2 or 2 hours of allowed practice time. e. The first week of practice shall be devoted entirely and exclusively to conditioning, not wearing pads; however, helmets shall be permitted. 9

12 f. All practices must be attended by one person holding a Red Cross Community CPR and First Aid Certificate, or the P.R.E.P.A.R.E. Course by the National Center for Sport Safety ( or their equivalent, if not by an EMT or volunteer physician (such as a parent of one of the participants). g. Maximum contact drills per day is 30 minutes (Thud - Full speed drill with no pre-determined winner and Live Action game condition) h. Each team will have a fully stocked first aid kit and ice packs available. 10. PRACTICE PREP AND PLANS A. All players will be inspected to ensure equipment is adequate. B. Practice plans must be created for every practice to ensure the level of contact and break schedule is met for every practice. C. Below are the levels of contact to consider when creating practice plans. Contact Intensity Description Air 0 Players run unopposed without contact Bags 1 Drill is run against a bag or other soft-contact surface Control 2 Drill is run at assigned speed until the moment of contact; one player is pre-determined the winner by the coach. Contact remains above waist, players stay on feet. Thud (Counts towards contact, 30 min. max.) Live Action (Counts towards contact, 30 min. max.) 3 Drill is run at assigned speed to competitive speed through the moment of contact; no predetermined winner. Contact remains above waist, players stay on feet. Player stay on their feet and the quick whistle ends the drill. 4 Drill is run in game like conditions and is the only time that players are taken to the ground D. Practice plans will be provided to the PSC for the first week of conditioning (pre-labor day) and the first post labor day practice. 10

13 E. USA FOOTBALL Provides a tool for coaches to use to create practice plans Sample below: 11. USA FOOTBALL HEADS UP FOOTBALL A. USA FOOTBALL HEADS UP Tackling (Breakdown, Buzz, Hit, Shoot & Rip) and Blocking (Stance, Get Off, Strike, Stick & Finish) techniques will be used at all times. 12. SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST 13. AED LOCATIONS Training area (School or field) Location of AED Other Wolcott Complex Frisbie School field Frisbie school Hallway outside of office Tyrell School Alcott School 14. CANCELATION OF PRACTICE A. Outside temperature two hours prior to practice 95 degrees F B. Inclement weather which poses a hazard due to rain, wind, etc. C. The Vice President and PSC will make the determination and inform head coaches one hour prior to practice via. phone. 15. INJURIES BEYOND FIRST AID A. All injuries are to be reported to the PSC within 24 hours. B. Each incident that results in an injury beyond first aid requires the completion of an Incident Investigation Report (refer to Appendix: G) 11

16 Appendix. C Team Emergency Action Plan Head Coach: First Aid/CPR: 911: Street Address: Flag Man: Stay with Participant: Stay with Team: _ Crowd Control: Parental Release: Weather Conditions: Appropriate Documentation: Team:_ Coaches remember to give your personnel and practice your emergency plan. When you are at an unfamiliar location, familiarize yourself with your surrounding area and local emergency facility. 14

17 Agenda Completing Level 1 Coaching course Head Up Tackling and Blocking review Concussion recognition and response Heat Preparedness and Hydration Sudden Cardiac Arrest Proper Equipment Fitting Team Emergency Action Plans Practice plans Parent meeting PCS: Appendix. D PCS / Head Coach Meeting Date: Name / Team Signature 15

18 Agenda Head Coach: Appendix. E Head Coach Parent Meeting o Introduction o Team Information o Introduce Heads Up Football o Head Up Football cont. (concussions, heat prep, hydration, SCA, equip. fitting. o Communication Name (printed) Date: Signature 16

21 Appendix. G 19

22 20

23 Revision History DATE REVISION CHANGES Originator Approval 7/28/16 A Issue for release Frank Matyoka WMFCA BOD 06/20/17 A Updated-WYFCA WYFCA WYFCA BOD 21

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