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November 27, 2007

State steers clear of training mandates

Coaches are not required to have medical training

BY DENNIS CHASE

TRAVERSE CITY -- Benzie Central installed automated external defibrillators in its schools a few years ago, so school officials sent staff members to an American Red Cross course to be trained in their use.

Two physical education teachers who went through that training "piggybacked," also earning certification in CPR so they could train the school's teachers and coaches on an annual basis.

The end result: All of Benzie Central's middle and high school coaches became certified in CPR and basic first aid training, an important benefit, since coaches often are the first responders when athletes go down with injuries.

"As we bring in new (coaches) we try to set up training for them," Benzie Central athletic director Karen Leinaar said. "A lot of schools are making sure their coaches are certified in CPR and at least basic first aid. That way they can use that knowledge as need be."

Michigan is one of seven states that does not have any medical training requirements for coaches, according to a CNHI study.

"In this state, there are no laws that require coaches to have completed CPR or first aid, and the (Michigan High School Athletic Association) is not authorized to require that, either," said Jack Roberts executive director of the MHSAA.

Roberts said a bill, endorsed by the Red Cross, was introduced in the Legislature a number of years ago that would have required all coaches to complete its sports safety curriculum, but it never garnered enough support to become law.

"Philosophically, we're on board with that type of background preparation for our coaches," Roberts said. "But schools never supported that because of the burden of cost and the Legislature felt that it could never pass such a bill without violating our constitutional prohibition against unfunded mandates. You can't require that of schools and not give them the money to provide it.

"We can't require what our schools don't want -- that's everything from sports seasons to transfer rules. One thing (school districts) have been clear about is don't mandate additional expenses for us, even if it's good stuff like training coaches."

Roberts said forcing districts to adhere to state mandated policies would be overstepping the bounds.

"We could do anything once, but then you would lose the trust of the people you serve," he said. "We know whom we serve and how to serve them."

Districts should make decisions

Area school officials believe athletic training policies should be set by local districts.

"The more the MHSAA gets involved with issues like that, the more it muddies the picture of what their job is," Suttons Bay athletic director Cody Inglis said. "I think they have a tough enough task at hand dealing with high school sports. I think it's important for schools to step up and take the lead."

Leinaar, who serves on the MHSAA's Representative Council, agreed.

"I don't think it's the place for the MHSAA to get overly involved in," she said.

The Red Cross offers CPR and first aid certification courses for lay responders. The cost for the class, which takes seven to eight hours to complete, is $55. The CPR certification is good for one year, first aid for three years.

Roberts said it's difficult to say exactly how many coaches there are in the state, but "to estimate 30,000 is in the ballpark."

St. Francis athletic director Tom Hardy said that although CPR and first aid training is not required, school officials are looking into it becoming part of the program.

"We had an athletic department audit a year and a half ago," he said. "They interviewed students, parents, coaches and administrators. Coaches (training) education was one of the top 10 things."

Would he like all his coaches to be certified?

"Absolutely," Hardy said. "A lot of times they are the only responders at practice. They are the first responders when a lot of the injuries happen."

Traverse City West athletic director Patti Tibaldi said training is available for her coaches every year. Participation is encouraged, but it's not mandatory.

"A lot (West coaches) are trained," she said. "We're fortunate. But at the lower levels, no."

Extra responsibilities could deter coaches

Asking coaches to shoulder more responsibility, though, could deter some from coaching altogether, officials warned.

"We have a hard enough time finding coaches," Tibaldi said. "More and more are coming from outside the system."

Of the 18 varsity sports offered at Suttons Bay, only four are coached by staff members.

"It's not easy right now finding coaches," said Inglis, who has had four girls basketball coaches in four years and three boys soccer coaches in four years. "If you put other stipulations on it (job), it might not turn off coaches but it would be one more hurdle for them to clear."

Lynne Lombard, who's retiring as the St. Francis trainer after 23 seasons, acknowledged the problem.

"Coaching is a very tough job in this day and age," she said. "Ideally, your coaches should have that knowledge. Basic knowledge is very valuable for everybody at any level. The difficulty with that, however, is that schools are having a tough time finding coaches, qualified coaches. And then there's paying for it ... and the time."

Roberts said the MHSAA has received similar feedback from other districts.

"If suddenly all coaches had to complete certain kinds of coaches education, or even CPR and first aid, our school districts tell us that the hard problem of finding coaches becomes an impossible problem," he said.

Filling the gaps

The MHSAA partners with Henry Ford Health Systems and frequently puts out medical training news on-line and in bulletins.

The MHSAA offers a segment that touches on medical training issues in its six-step Coaches Advancement Program. The first step was held this month at Traverse City West during a professional in-service day and 17 coaches attended.

"It's unique," Roberts said. "It was designed to help fill this void. Still, it's voluntary. We can't require coaches to take it."

Roberts said fewer than 2,000 coaches have taken it thus far. He said the goal is to have 1,000 new coaches enrolled every year. The cost is $60 for each step in the series.

"If I were in charge of a school district I would find a way to pay for it," he said. "To me, that which directly improves the teaching of student-athletes and directly protects the health and welfare of student-athletes has got to be at the top of the list. I don't know what you would ever put above those things."

Hardy is among those who went through the first six-hour step, which also delves into the philosophy and psychology of coaching.

"That's something we're going to mandate all our coaches go through," Hardy said. "In today's sports that kind of education has to be done. It's at the point that it's not just a good idea, it has to be done. But now we have to find a way fund that."

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