Best Practices Partner Toolkit

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Recreational and travel youth sports organizations must provide a safe and healthy environment for participating athletes, and becoming a Best Practices Partner demonstrates your organization’s commitment to that principle.

Any youth recreational and/or travel sports organization can become a Best Practices Partner!
Boy running with football
Boy running with football

Simply complete the form to receive your Best Practices Toolkit. Once your organization makes the commitment to become a Best Practices Partner, schedule time in an upcoming meeting to review the four core components of the Best Practices Partner Checklist and begin implementing them in your program.

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NYSHSI and Strategy 5 of the U.S. National Physical Activity Plan SPORT Sector

The first U.S. National Physical Activity Plan was unveiled in 2016 as a suite of policies, programs and initiatives aimed at increasing physical activity in the U.S. population.  

The plan includes a section called the SPORT Sector that is immediately relevant to NYSHSI’s mission, and within it are four tactics, known collectively as Strategy 5, that NYSHSI and its partner the Physical Activity Alliance (PAA), are focused on implementing:

  1. Establish policies and practices that ensure sports programs put the highest priority on the health and safety of participants.
  2. Educate parents, athletes, coaches, teachers and others about the signs and symptoms of sports injuries and conditions (e.g., brain injury, heat illness, and exertional sickling).
  3. Ensure that sports equipment, uniforms, playing surfaces and environmental conditions are checked for safety and best conditions.
  4. Encourage the importance of collaboration with medical professionals to ensure safe outcomes during play.