Financial and Management Barriers to Safety Education in Youth Sports in the United States

A problem exists with the lack of mandated health and safety training for youth sport coaches in the United States. Youth sport organizations rely heavily on volunteers to staff their programs, and lack of education leaves coaches unprepared to handle health and safety situations that arise. This study explored current practices in safety education for youth sport coaches in northwestern Pennsylvania. Youth sport coaches and administrators at three sites were interviewed. The results of the study showed an overall lack of consistency in health and safety education in the region. Youth sport coaches whose sport has a governing body or with additional coaching experiences had more health and safety education than those who did not. Administrators cited concerns that additional required training would deter volunteers from coaching, citing financial and management barriers. The coaches unanimously indicated additional education would not deter them from coaching. The participants viewed health and safety education as important and valuable for youth sport coaches to possess, as it increases the overall safety of youth sports. Keywords: youth sports, coach education, sports injuries, sports administration, injury prevention