Problem comes to a head: More than half of North Carolina’s high schools lack certi?ed athletic trainers, posing dangerous problem

With more than 6 million high school students participating in after-school sports, it’s surprising and troubling that there is no mandated athletic trainer position to assist coaches in injury prevention and care.

It’s been more than 18 months since two North Carolina high school football players died from head injuries. Around the same time, Chapel Hill High School football player Atlas Fraley also died after football practice.

But more than half of the state’s high schools still lack certified trainers, according to The (Raleigh) News & Observer. Only 156 of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s 379 member schools have a certified athletic trainer on staff.

To become certified, a person must complete an examination administered by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Board of Certification, Inc. They also must possess a degree in athletic training.

Placing certified trainers in every high school in the state needs to be a priority. But due to the lack of money, hiring new trainers might not be economically feasible.

This isn’t an excuse. If schools can’t provide the adequate safety measures to prevent serious and preventable sports injuries, parents should reconsider letting their children participate.

It’s estimated that one-third of high school athletes will sustain an injury during a sports season that is serious enough to require being benched until recovery. And according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sports and recreation-related concussions in the U.S. surpass 3 million annually.

Head injuries that are sustained in high school can have lifelong effects. Developing brains often take longer to recover, and risk of serious injury is exponentially increased if athletes return to their team too quickly.

Several states have enacted legislation that, on the whole, prohibits students with head injuries from returning to the field until they are fully recovered. Washington, California, Oregon and Texas are leading the way.

But having a mandatory athletic trainer on the sidelines must be the next step. Certified trainers can recognize symptoms and can advise athletes on how to effectively treat their ailment.

Schools and their communities must take it upon themselves to take care of their young, developing athletes. It is a decision that could affect the lifelong well-being of their students.