Document Type

Master's Culminating Experience

Publication Date

Spring 2014

Abstract

There are projected to be seven million high school adolescents from roughly 20,000 high schools who partake in local sports programs annually. Children and adolescents are increasingly participating in sports, and this expanding involvement brings forth issues regarding possible risks of sports-related injury (Vanderlei et al. 2013). Although the involvement in sports is proven to be advantageous for the physical and mental well-being of human beings, injury rates are a public health concern. In the United States, young athletes are responsible for more than two million injuries, 500,000 physician visits, and 30,000 hospitalizations per year (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention [CDC], 2006).

In-person interviews were conducted with two basketball coaches from different high schools in Greene County, Ohio. Permission from each high school’s administrators and the WSU IRB Board was received to ensure that proper clearance was given for the coaches to participate.

The Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) oversees all high school sports in Ohio and The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) oversees OHSAA. OHSAA implements policies and procedures that all coaches/ schools in Ohio must follow. The interviewed coaches showed great awareness of OHSAA’s rules and regulations. The information that the coaches provided was very similar to OHSAA’s requirements.

There are some public health implications that could benefit coaches and players on a local, state, and national level. Coaches can improve and benefit from these recommendations because there are practices such as players wearing mouth guards, ankle braces and shoes that are supportive.

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