Being part of a high school athletic team offers benefits that extend well beyond the playing field. Regular exercise supports physical health, while competing alongside teammates teaches communication, responsibility and teamwork, skills that carry into the classroom, future careers and everyday life.
Bethpage High School student-athletes put another important aspect of teamwork into practice this week when Athletic Director Alyssa Kildare Kaiser brought members of all of the school’s athletic teams together for a potentially lifesaving training session on the district’s emergency action plan.
Health and Physical Education teacher Jeff Hack led the session, walking students through the steps that need to happen immediately when a teammate, coach or bystander experiences a medical emergency. Students received detailed instruction on how to respond, including how to properly use an automated external defibrillator, or AED.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, approximately 2,000 people under age 25 die from sudden cardiac arrest in the United States each year. Sudden cardiac arrest is also the leading cause of death among young athletes in the United States. While survival is rare, the AAP notes that communities with comprehensive AED programs that include CPR and AED training for rescuers have achieved survival rates of nearly 40% for cardiac arrest victims.
Mr. Hack emphasized the importance of being prepared before an emergency occurs. He showed students the components of an AED and explained how the device works, while reinforcing several key points: Know how to respond. Know where AEDs are located at every athletic venue. Act quickly. And mentally prepare for the possibility of an emergency by visualizing how you would respond.
For student-athletes, teamwork is usually measured by what happens during a game. This training reinforced that being a good teammate also means knowing how to step up when the stakes are much higher.
Bethpage’s athletics staff will also provide the same emergency preparedness training to student-athletes at JFK Middle School.
