Safety
Below is a true story, which makes sobering reading."At cricket practice last night, a child lost it when he was bowled out and simply hurled his bat into the air and it cartwheeled into Brian's face, tearing out gum and teeth. He lost his two permanent top teeth plus gum tissue and a bottom permanent tooth was broken off at the gum. Firstly a top maxo-facial surgeon had to come in and replace the teeth but the outcome is uncertain and this is what I would like you to please pray about. Because gum tissue has been lost there is dead tissue and this is what we are all quietly worrying about. Also the teeth roots are cracked so it will only be known after six weeks whether last night's surgery was just a useless exercise. In another three years down the line even then the roots could just disintegrate. Today he had to go to the normal dentist to have the bottom tooth "sealed". This entailed five injections in his mouth, the nerve being removed, and a steel pin being stuck into the tooth down to the root. All this Brian could see on a screen but never a murmur, just eyes filling up a little and a squeeze to Sue's hand."
Preventing players from getting hurt
As a coach, manager or parent you need to:
- Ensure players are fit via physical conditioning
- Check equipment and facilities are safe to use (remove hazards, read rules especially if training indoors)
- Match players to what you expect them to do (this includes experience, emotional and physical maturity and skill levels)
- Warn players of the risks (make sure you warn children of the dangers of bats and balls especially, enforce the 10m rule around the batter, etc)
- Supervise
- Use warm-ups and cool-downs (see below)
- Ensure enough water breaks ( all children should bring a water bottle to games and practices. During heavy exercise in warm conditions the body can loose 2-3L of sweat per hour !)
- Use protective equipment (use helmets, pads, gloves, groin protectors and mouthguards)
- Keep a first aid kit with you.
Warm-ups
The warm-up prepares the body for physical exercise. As a coach you should make sure:
- Everyone takes part
- The warm-up lasts 10min
- It starts with a slow jog or movement that builds up slowly
- All muscle groups are stretched
- Any skill-based activities are fun
The warm-down is the cooling down period where the body returns to its normal state. Warm-downs help reduce muscle soreness and speed recovery. It should consist of:
- 3-4 min of exercise
- A slow jog or movements of the large muscle groups
- Gentle stretching. Work on the muscles most used during the sport
- Put on warm clothing
- Shower if available and dress warmly.
For most normal knocks employ the RICE method:
Rest – stop the game and take the player off the field to rest
Ice – pack ice or cold water to the injury for 20 min.
Compression – Apply a firm bandage to stop swelling
Elevation – Raise the limb
For serious injuries seek medical advice. Ensure the rest of the group is supervised while you take the injured player to the medical centre or A&E at the hospital.
© Copyright Junior Cricket Upper Hutt