More than half of California schools either don’t employ an athletic trainer or don’t have a fully qualified person in that role, according to a study.
The study, published this week in the Journal of Athletic Training, which is the National Athletic Trainers’ Association’s peer-reviewed scientific publication, found that over 47% of schools in the state do not have an athletic trainer. An additional 7% of schools employed unqualified health personnel for that position.
Among the schools that have an athletic trainer, only 13% reported employing a full-time, year-round position for the job.
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“Currently in California, anyone, even if they have zero medical experience, can call themselves an athletic trainer. This should be a major concern to parents,” NATA President Tory Lindley said in a statement.
There is also a disparity between the types of schools that employ trainers. Schools that employed athletic trainers were more likely to be public (50.6%).
“One wrong decision could leave your child paralyzed forever,” Lindley said in a statement. “That is how serious this is. There is no room in organized sports for this level of risk. Our athletes deserve better.”
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California is the only state that doesn’t regulate athletic training. However, Assemblyman Rob Bonta (D-Alameda) introduced a bill that would require an athletic trainer or person using a certain title or terms to be licensed by the California Board of Athletic Training.
“California doesn’t regulate athletic trainers and as a direct result we’re seeing too many unnecessary injuries, disabilities and even death,” Bonta told Yahoo in September.