32 percent of schools don’t have athletic trainers
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – A state sports trainers group wants all schools to have trainers at varsity football games by the 2014 season.
According to The Tennessean (http://tnne.ws/14slAeU), the value of having trainers is becoming more accepted, but the cost and the availability of trainers in rural areas pose problems.
The legislature approved a new youth sports concussion statute last session. There is growing awareness of the dangers of concussions, heat sickness and cardiovascular issues in young athletes.
But a recent survey by the Tennessee Athletic Trainers Society showed about 32 percent of the schools who are members of the Tennessee Secondary Schools Athletic Association do not have trainers on staff.
The trainers group estimates an entry-level trainer’s salary at between $28,000 and $35,000 and the cost of hiring a trainer for one game at $100.
