The Coaching Association of Canada (CAC), as the leader of coach education and training in Canada, announced our involvement in the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Active and Safe initiative last month. The Government of Canada is investing $1.5 million in this collaborative initiative which aims to reduce the incidence of brain injuries in team sports and improve decision-making about when it is safe to return to play after a head injury.

“Coaches play a key role in injury prevention for Canada’s children and youth,” said John Bales, CEO of the CAC. “They are on the front lines on the playing fields, at the hockey arenas and wherever sport is played. Because educated and certified coaches are better equipped to teach children correct technique, proper training principles and fair and ethical sport, they are key players in reducing the rate and severity of concussions and brain injuries in sport – many of which can be prevented through greater awareness of the risks and preventative strategies.”

The CAC will collaborate with the Canadian Centre for Ethics and Sport, Hockey Canada and ThinkFirst Canada on this initiative.

Our initiatives will include:

1.         Building a multi-sport eLearning module and two other team-sport-specific eLearning modules built in collaboration with our sport partners;

2.         Improving and enhancing NCCP products with information on brain injuries and return to play protocols;

3.         Developing a supplementary booklet for the Aboriginal Coaching Module to be distributed during delivery in Aboriginal communities;

4.         Making resources available to coaches through coach.ca.

These initiatives will be completed by March 31, 2013.

(Courtesy of CAC)

For more information press here.

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