Checklist
- Establish a command structure. Who is in charge?
- Assess severity. If injury or medical, stabilization is the priority. Designate someone to call 9-1-1, without delay, if needed.
- Mobilize, delegate and communicate. Use every available resource. Look around. Be smart.
- Make sure all of the youth is taken care of collectively. Don't get tunnel vision. Consider grouping the youth together in small groups with trusted parties in charge. Favor people wearing HSLL coaches or volunteer badges in this role. Move the youth away from trouble as necessary.
- Document for EMS if able. Designate an individual to communicate with EMS, directing emergency vehicles, and transfer information when they arrive. Try to meet them at the arrival location.
Details
The following is general guidance for all HSLL activities. Teams, coaches and site directors should develop their own, site or team-specific, emergency action plan.
Major injuries, sudden illnesses and other critical incidents do not occur often during lacrosse practices or games, nor do situations that require the help of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Personnel. However, it is important to have an emergency action plan for coordinators, coaches and volunteers to follow should emergencies occur.
Each site coordinator is responsible for maintaining their own level of preparedness based on their own local situation and surrounding environment. The site coordinator is the person responsible for implementing any EAP. If the site coordinator is not present then the head coach is next in line. If the head coach is not present, the assistant coaches are then tasked with implementing any EAP.
When an emergency occurs, establish a command structure and begin a smart, coordinated, resource-managed, response. Declare the emergency publicly and calmly. Assess the severity and focus on communication, leadership, decision-making, and delegated responsibilities. Work together. Use every resource available.
Each team should have their own basic first aid kit supplied by the HSLL to administer any first aid necessary. When an emergency is beyond the scope of the site coordinator or coach's capabilities, the site coordinator or coach should be prepared to implement their own Emergency Action Plan (EAP).
It would be ideal for each site to have a Licensed Athletic Trainer on-site during every practice and game. In reality, this is not possible. This requires coordinators, coaches and volunteers to be prepared for emergencies. It is generally the coach or a site coordinator who has the immediate responsibility to handle emergency situations that arise during practices or games. Because of this, the HSLL requires head coaches to know basic first aid and have a current CPR certification.
Any emergency is possible, but, in our environment, teams and sites should discuss, practice, and be prepared for the following:
- Player Injury (Spinal, Broken Bones, Major Sprains, Severe Bleeding)
- Severe Weather / Lightning
- Child Abduction / Missing Player (see below)
- Fan Altercation or Fighting (call 9-1-1)
- Drunk or high parent/spectator at practice or game (call 9-1-1)
- Player Fighting (Please see HSLL fighting policy.)
- Coach Altercation
- Player Commotio cordis (A blow to the area just over the heart disrupting heart rhythm.) or Fan Heart Attack
While very rare, please be prepared for commotio cordis and heart issues. The basic response is prompt CPR and defibrillation, perhaps with a nearby AED. Call 9-1-1 immediately.
Each coordinator or coach needs to know before participating in a practice or a game who will be responsible for certain tasks if an emergency should occur.
Things to think about:
- Who has the first aid kit?
- Is there an AED available? Where is it? (May be available at high school sites in particular.)
- Who will call 911 if needed?
- Who has parent contact information?
Everyone needs to know what their responsibilities will be if there is a player injury or any other emergency.
Injuries
Things to discuss and practice:
Who will be the person in charge of dealing with all medical injuries on and off the field?
- When does 911 need to be called?
- Who will be directing the Emergency vehicles to the injury site?
- Who has all the parent information?
- Who will be dealing with the parents?
- Who will be filling out the HSLL incident report?
- Who will accompany the injured player if needed?
If an injury occurs, immediately assess the situation. Keep calm, observe the player. Ask the player if he feels any pain. If the player feels any pain, ask him where the pain is located. If the pain is in a place other than the neck or back, it most likely is not serious. Proceed with caution until you find out what injury occurred. If the pain is in the neck or back, do not move the player at all and call 911 immediately. EMS personnel are needed for this type of injury. Once the EMS personnel arrive, let them take over.
Severe Weather
Please see the HSLL Lightning and Severe Weather Policy.
Abduction / Missing Player
All players present at practice or games should always be under the supervision of coaches present at those practices or games.
If a player is deemed missing for any reason:
- Assign 2 or more known coaches, parents or volunteers to search the surrounding area. Make sure the head coach stays with the rest of the team.
- If the player is not found after searching make a call to the parents to see if they picked up the player.
- If a parent has not picked up the player, or you cannot reach them, and you have searched, call 911 immediately.
- You should know beforehand if a player is not allowed with a parent because of abuse. If a parent shows up to practice or games and he/she is not supposed to be around the player, call 911 right away. Avoid confrontations but do not allow the child to leave with the parent.
If a child does not show up for a practice, ask fellow teammates if the child was in school that day. If the child was not in school, nothing needs to be done. If the child was in school, and no one has knowledge that the child wasn't going to be at practice, consider calling the parent or guardian to check on the welfare of the child. Use good judgement.
Special Situations
Sometimes things happen at practice or games that cannot be anticipated. Have a general plan for any emergency.
Make sure a coach stays with the players and they are in a safe area.
Never get into a physical altercation around the players.
Incident Reporting
Any event that invokes an EAP requires an incident report. Please use the HSLL incident reporting system as soon as possible following the event.