NFL to help fund athletic trainers in underserved high schools

Courier Newsroom

11 years ago

President Barack Obama speaks in the East Room at the White House in Washington, Thursday, May 29, 2014, during the White House Healthy Kids and Safe Sports Concussion Summit. Obama was hosting a summit with representatives of professional sports leagues, coaches, parents, young athletes, researchers and others to call attention to the issue of youth sports concussions. Pictured from left to right: LaVar Arrington, former NFL linebacker; Victoria Bellucci, a high school soccer player from Huntingtown, Md.; Taylor Twellman, former professional soccer player; Gen. Ray Odierno, Chief of Staff of the United States Army. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Barack Obama, LaVar Arrington, Victoria Bellucci, Taylor Twellman, Ray Odierno — President Barack Obama speaks in the East Room at the White House in Washington, Thursday, May 29, 2014, during the White House Healthy Kids and Safe Sports Concussion Summit. Obama was hosting a summit with representatives of professional sports leagues, coaches, parents, young athletes, researchers and others to call attention to the issue of youth sports concussions. Pictured from left to right: LaVar Arrington, former NFL linebacker; Victoria Bellucci, a high school soccer player from Huntingtown, Md.; Taylor Twellman, former professional soccer player; Gen. Ray Odierno, Chief of Staff of the United States Army. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

WASHINGTON (AP) — NFL teams and the league’s foundation will fund trainers in underserved high schools nationwide in a $1 million program.
An announcement was made Thursday as part of a White House summit on youth sports safety.
The program, a collaboration with the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) and the Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society (PFATS), is part of $25 million committed by the NFL Foundation over the next three years toward health and safety projects.
According to NATA, only 55 percent of high school athletes nationwide have access to a full-time certified trainer. Access is particularly challenging in low-income and rural communities.
The outreach program will provide certified trainers in NFL communities. NFL teams will identify schools in their region that are eligible.
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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL