Coaches, athletes, teachers and medical personnel took part in the first workshop of the Department of Sports: Sports Medicine Series. The first workshop of a two-part series focused on Care and Prevention of Injuries and the 22 participants were taken through several sessions that covered key concepts and knowledge that were needed to provide side-line care as well as practical sessions in taping and assessing injuries.
Mr. Andre Collins, Director of Sports, indicated that the Sports Medicine Series was an important part of creating a supportive environment for athletes. He shared that the very nature of sport meant that there was the possibility of injury. However, there were many things that could be done to prevent and significantly reduce the likelihood of certain injuries occurring. Workshop facilitator, Dr. Kerry Dollaway, program leader at the Center for Kinesiology, Physical Education and Sports at the University of Trinidad & Tobago, reiterated these sentiments and further suggested that it was critical to build capacity in the allied sports fields in order to protect our athletes, promote longevity and increase the potential of achieving podium status in the long run.
Participants were taken through several content areas such as basic anatomy, how to conduct pre-participation evaluations, environmental conditions and how they impact performance, understanding some of the more common injuries, working with women, children and mature athletes, and taping of lower extremities, for example. Participants expressed that they thought every individual who worked with children in sport environments should have to take this workshop, while others expressed their appreciation for Dr. Dollaway and what was shared over the weekend – and indicated that it was highly likely that they would use this new found knowledge and skills in the near future.
Mr. Collins expressed his delight in how the weekend went, and shared that he was impressed with the high level of engagement for the entire period. He felt that participants were really engaged and also shared that one young person indicated that he would pursue studies in this field. “It’s really encouraging when the department invests its resources in the development of our human capacity and it is received with such fervor.”
The next workshop is due to take place July 27-28 and will focus on Corrective Exercises and Rehabilitation. It will be conducted by Mr. Jody Nickie. Interested persons are asked to contact the Department of Sports at 497-5214.
– Contributed
