Volunteer Coach | Coaching Guidelines

Please review the following procedures, which you should follow in the event of an emergency (e.g., injury, seizure) involving your athlete. Do not be alarmed by these procedures. They are intended to prepare you for the unlikely but possible. Please revisit the procedures periodically to refresh your memory. At each KEEN-LA program session, the volunteer in charge of registration/security keeps a copy of current Emergency Contact Information for each athlete.

In General

1. Read and re-read your Athlete's Profile.
   
   
2. Make a mental note of any medical concerns or cautionary information on the Profile. The Profile will alert you to the possibility of seizure or proneness to injury.
   
   
3. Before the session begins, ask the KEEN Coordinator and/or the athlete's parents any questions you have about your athlete.
   
   
4. Please keep the Profile with you at all times. At the end of each session, you will update the form and return it to the KEEN Coordinator.
   
   
5. In the event of an emergency, stay calm.

Emergency Procedures

1. Cuts, Scrapes and Bruises
   KEEN has first aid kits available at the program site to take care of these common accidents. Please inform a member of session monitors.
   For more serious injuries, parents and the Rescue Squad, if needed, will be called.
   
   
2. Seizures
   Seizures are a common side effect of some of our athlete’s disabilities. It will say in the profile if an athlete is prone to seizures. Following these procedures will help manage the situation and help the affected athlete:
   
   
   1. Coach should note the time as precisely as possible. Length of the seizure denotes its severity.
      
   2. Send someone to find the Head Coach or KEEN Coordinator.
      
   3. Make sure the athlete is comfortable, but let the seizure run its course.
      
   4. Don’t put your hands near the mouth of someone who is seizing.
      
   5. Be prepared to notify parents using emergency contact information and/or call 911.
   
   
3. Lost Athlete
   Athletes like to run and play games or hide. It is important that coaches stay with their athletes at all times, but if they should lose track of their athlete they should notify the Head Coach or Coordinator immediately who will put together a search party. Coaches working with a “runner” should take special care, some athletes like to run but have no sense of danger.
   
   
4. Any Uncomfortable or Uncontrollable Situations
   If a coach for any reason feels uncomfortable in a situation with an athlete they should find and inform the Head Coach or Coordinator.
   If a coach feels an athlete is acting in an inappropriate way and he/she cannot control the situation, again, find and inform the Head Coach or Coordinator.
   
   
   
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   Emergency Procedures in printable format.