Janesville Youth Football Emergency Plan

The following situations are medical emergencies where 911 should be called and the EAP (Emergency Action Plan) should be initiated:

  • Not breathing, no pulse
  • Non responsive, unconscious
  • Pain directly over the spine (back or neck)
  • Obvious deformity (indicating dislocation or break)
  • Numbness or tingling in the arm(s) or leg(s)

DO NOT MOVE THE ATHLETE. DO NOT REMOVE THE HELMET OR SHOULDER PADS. If the athlete is not breathing and has no pulse, begin CPR.

Call 911. The operator will need to know the following information:

  • Location
  • Nature of injury
  • Current status of injured athlete
  • The athlete’s emergency card should be available for the 911 operator or the ambulance staff.

Main priority is to call 911, monitor the athlete, and provide what first aid you can.

Secondarily, additional available coaches should assist by 1) contacting the parent of the injured athlete and 2) removing other athletes from the immediate area.

Call 911. This is ____. I am a football coach for Janesville Youth Football. I have an athlete who needs emergency assistance. (Describe nature of emergency.)

GAMES

We are at the football field # ____ at the Janesville Youth Sports Complex (100 South Wuthering Hills Drive) Describe location of this field and delegate someone to meet the ambulance

PRACTICE

We are at the practice football field at _____

Describe location of this field and delegate someone to meet the ambulance

EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN POINTS OF DISCUSSION:

As a small group (either each individual team or all teams at one site), the following things should be discussed:

  • Look at the emergency cards for your athletes. Does anyone have a health condition? ALL coaches working with that athlete should be aware of any athlete with diabetes, asthma, allergies, heart conditions, or other health conditions. Discuss as a group how you will handle a medical emergency. It is important that items like epi-pens, glucotabs, and inhalers be available at every practice and game. Encourage athletes to hand these items to you (perhaps you have a small fanny pack attached to your clipboard.) every time they come to practice. Do not rely on Mom or Dad having this with them. . . the day you need it will be that day Mom runs an errand or Dad is in the bathroom.
  • Each coach has different strengths and weaknesses. Discuss as a group WHO will handle each task in an emergency. If you know you are not good under stress, perhaps you could flag down the ambulance and take the rest of the team to another area of the field. If you are a calm person, an injured athlete may respond better to YOU kneeling down next to him or you calling his parents. Of course, when an emergency arises all coaches must be prepared to carry out any of the tasks. However, a discussion ahead of time may make things go more smoothly
  • If you are practicing at a site with more than one team, you may be called upon to assist another team during an emergency. This may mean taking a group of athletes in to your team’s practice or standing by the road to guide the ambulance to the injured athlete. Discuss as a group how you will work together. A calm organized approach during the minutes following an emergency are key to how young athletes will respond.
  • A discussion with your athletes and parents ahead of time may be appropriate. Setting expectations can decrease the potential for problems in the heat of the moment. If Johnny goes down on the field, what should athletes do? Do you as coaches want Mom and Dad out on the field or on your sidelines following an injury?
  • Not every emergency is a medical one. Discuss as a group what you will do if there is a weather emergency. You cannot send Johnny home on his bike if the tornado siren sounds. Do you know if you have access to a secure building? What will you do in the event of a weather emergency? Does someone have a weather app/emergency app on their phone to alert them?

We are at the practice football field at

Craig High School

East of the intersection of Randall and Ruger Ave., near the tennis courts

Edison Middle School

1649 South Chatham (enter parking lot south of school)

Franklin Middle School

450 North Crosby Avenue (field on east side of school)

Harrison Elementary School

760 Princeton Road (enter parking lot south of school by Brunswick Lane)

Kennedy Elementary

3901 Randolph Road (intersection of Randolph and Shannon Drive)

Lincoln Elementary School

1821 Conde Street

Marshall Middle School

25 South Pontiac Drive (field on north side of school)

Optimist Park

4201 Ruger Ave (intersection of Ruger and Wuthering Hills)

Van Buren Elementary School

1515 Lapham Street

Wilson Elementary School

465 Rockport Road