Safety Guidelines for Secondary Interschool Athletics in Alberta

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Participation with Casts
• Any student athlete with a playing cast should provide a doctor’s note or
parent/guardian signed permission indicating it is safe for him/her to participate.
Skill Progression
• Interschool athletic activities should be based on skills that are taught.
• Prior to skills instruction, teachers should outline possible risks of the activity
and ensure student athletes understand inherent dangers.
• Teachers should explain and demonstrate how to minimize the risks.
• The skills of an interschool athletic activity should be taught in proper
progression prior to participation. Refer to skill progression resources such as
those from the relevant sport association or Alberta Education authorized
resources listed in the Learning Resources Centre
(www.lrc.education.gov.ab.ca).
• Interschool athletic activities should be modified to the age and ability levels of
the student athletes.
• Teachers/coaches should provide a suitable level of competition according to
skill, size, age and conditioning of the student athletes.
Warm-Up and Cool-Down
• Student athletes should prepare for activity with proper warm-up and finish
with proper cool-down.
Eye Protection
• Instruction related to eye protection is recommended for all sports. Special
consideration should be given to eye protection for students with pre-existing
impaired vision.
Sports Nutrition
• Teachers/coaches should emphasize the importance of good nutritional practices
based on Canada’s Food Guide.
• Good nutritional practices should be promoted to provide energy rather than
energy drinks or other stimulants.
• Student athletes should be advised to avoid using energy drinks before or during
competition.
• Student athletes should be taught the hazards of improper eating practices and
severe weight loss techniques.
• Adequate fluid replacement should be accessible for student athletes during
practice and interschool athletic activities.
Hydration
• Student athletes should be provided with access to water or water bottles and
the opportunity to rehydrate during activity.
• Student athletes should be informed that they are not to share water bottles.
Fitness development
• Fitness development appropriate to the level of competition should be
addressed.
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Safety Guidelines for Secondary Interschool Athletics in Alberta - February 2012