RFU: Community Rugby Shop

Every sport contains an element of risk. One of the most important responsibilities of a sports coach is to ensure that coaching sessions are conducted in a safe and responsible manner. This resource focuses on safe practice in sport outlining all the safety issues associated with sports coaching.

This new edition contains new and updated sections, including creating the coaching environment, insurance, risk management and assessment, new emergency procedures and first aid.

If you follow the guidelines this book offers, you can be confident that you are conducting your sessions in a safe manner and are being proactive towards health and safety issues.

• Contains regular 'practical tips' allow you to easily apply your knowledge in coaching sessions
• References throughout the text point you in the right direction for further reading
• Great stand-alone resource, but can be used in conjunction with the other books in the sports coach UK 'Coaching Essentials' range to provide a comprehensive introduction to coaching

Suitable for anyone who leads or delivers sports programmes, eg coaches, leaders, teachers, instructors, development officers, officials, administrators, volunteers, parents/carers AND those with responsibility for the organisation of sport, eg national governing bodies, local authorities, centre managers, sports clubs.

Forms part of the 'Coaching Essentials' series, which contains the titles: What is Sports Coaching, How to Coach Sports Safely, How to Coach Sports Effectively, How to Coach Children in Sport, How to Coach Disabled People in Sport, How the Body Works in Sport.

Introduction

Planning for safe coaching

• Know your sport
• Safe practice
• Insurance

Responsibilities in the coaching environment

• Facilities
• Playing surfaces
• Venue size and space
• Equipment and apparatus
• Participants' clothing and equipment
• Managing risk
• Safety checks
• Assessing risk
• Being proactive

General care of the sports participant

• Getting ready
• Preparing your participants
• Concluding coaching sessions
• Handling equipment
• Hygiene
• Nutrition
• Ergogenic aids

Dealing with injury

• Injury in sport
• Communication with emergency services
• First aid provision
• Immediate treatment of minor injuries
• Reporting injuries
• Infectious disease

Monitoring the health of the participant

• Health control and medical monitoring
• Fatigue and Stress
• Rehabilitation

Where next?

• Workshops
• Resources
• Useful contacts

Appendices

• Appendix A - Insurance
• Appendix B - Health and safety checklist
• Appendix C - General risk assessment system
• Appendix D - Manual handling
• Appendix E - Accident report form
• Appendix F - Accident reporting - legal requirements

sports coach UK - Formerly known as The National Coaching Foundation, sports coach UK is the leading organisation dedicated to the development of coaching and coaches in the United Kingdom, and has provided educational and development opportunities for coaches of all levels and across all sports. As a registered charity, the organisation has developed a range of titles and workshops to support coaches at all levels. For more information on sport coach UK workshops, please visit www.sportscoachuk.org.