The coach plays a central role in protecting the health and safety of an athlete. Every coach must understand the importance of excellent communication.

Coaches, both head and assistant need to communicate with all parties (athletes, parents or guardians, other coaches and staff, and various members of the athletic health care team) involved in sport safety. 

Coaches should establish and monitor rules, policies, and procedures with athletes, parents or guardians, and athletic health care team members alike. For teams with multiple coaches, the head coach should assume the majority of the responsibilities. Assistant coaches should stand by to assist the head coach.

Additionally, coaches are responsible for knowing and understanding the rules of their specific sport as set forth by the governing body of the sport. Coaches must also know and understand the sport safety policies, protocols, and guidelines at their school or organization. Established policies, protocols, and guidelines guide the coach in working to ensure injury prevention, recognition, assessment, first aid, treatment, rehabilitation, and safe return to play. Examples include preparticipation physical examinations, emergency action plans, procedures for cardiac emergencies or concussion, education for injury prevention, guidelines for hydration, and procedures for extreme weather (heat, cold, or lightning).

The primary role of coaches is to minimize injury for athletes who are under their supervision. Therefore, as a coach, you are likely to be involved in each leg of the athletic health care relay—prevention, recognition and first aid care, assessment and treatment, and rehabilitation. Your role is defined by:

• Certain rules of the legal system and rules of your school administration,
• Expectations of parents or guardians, and
• Interactions with other athletic health care team members.

Minimizing the risk of injury to athletes encompasses a variety of coaching duties. As a coaches should perform the following duties to safely train the athletes:

1. Properly plan each activity.
2. Provide proper instruction.
3. Warn of inherent risks.
4. Provide a safe physical environment.
5. Provide adequate and proper equipment.
6. Match your athletes appropriately.
7. Evaluate athletes for injury or incapacity.
8. Supervise each activity closely.
9. Provide appropriate emergency assistance.

As a coach, you should become familiar with each of the nine duties. The first eight deal mainly with preventive measures. Our new sixth edition of Sport Fist Aid by Robb S. Rehnberg is primarily designed to help coaches handle the ninth duty.

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