Guidelines for Injury Management

The following information is provided to assist coaches in managing the wellbeing of their players in relation to medical conditions, accidents, and injuries. It will provide guidelines on the appropriate action to take in relation to each of these situations if they arise at training or during game day competition/tournament. It also outlines expectations of players with active medical conditions and/or returning from injury sustained during netball or outside of netball.

First Aid Kits

• All match-day/training bags contain first aid kits that are re-stocked at the commencement of each season.
• A communal first-aid kit is available at training. A committee person or parent will be responsible for keeping the first aid kit and coaches will be notified at the beginning of the season as to who this is.
• Coaches and team managers should check the first aid kit regularly throughout each season and advise the coach coordinator of any items required to re-stock the kit.

Medical Conditions

• Players with existing medical conditions, which may affect their ability to play or train, are expected to inform their coach prior to each season. This includes, but is not limited to, asthma, diabetes, anaphylaxis and growing-related conditions (i.e. Osgood-Schlatter’s and Sever’s disease). Emergency treatment plans should also be discussed with your coach in the event you should require assistance in treating your medical condition in the event your parent/guardian is not present. At the coach’s discretion, it may be necessary to confidentially advise the team manager or game day association first aider.
• Coaches cannot be responsible for illnesses or conditions that are not disclosed to the club.
• All prescription medications and products such as (but not limited to) Ventolin, Panadol or aspirin, antifungal creams and powders, antibiotic creams and ointments, anti-inflammatory tablets and sunscreen should be supplied by the individual participant.

Injuries/Accidents

Training Sessions:

• The coach or available committee representative will manage any injuries or accidents occurring at Highvale Netball Club training sessions.
• Coaches also have access to the facilities in the medical treatment area at the Ashwood courts.
• In the case of serious injury or accident where a parent/guardian is not present, the coach should attempt to call the emergency contact numbers provided on the back of team sheets, in the order specified, to gain instructions in relation to treatment.
• If unable to reach any emergency contact numbers, the coach should consult with a senior coach or committee member at the training session and determine the most appropriate action to take. If in any doubt about the wellbeing of the player, the coach should call an ambulance immediately, stay with the player and ensure another coach/adult continues to try and contact the emergency numbers provided.
• An Injury Report Form needs to be completed and signed by the coach (or primary person treating the injury/illness) and the injured player/parent. The club president needs to be notified and the form forwarded to him/her for filing. The risk register will then be updated

Game day competition or tournament:

• During competition, the coach needs to be aware of any medical conditions relating to their players and take the appropriate action to remove a player from the court if they deem necessary.
• The team manager or parent/guardian (if present) should escort the injured player to the medical treatment area at the WNC. If the player is unable to move, the team manager or parent/guardian should stay with the injured player and nominate another adult to go to the medical area and alert the staff on duty of the need for medical treatment at the courtside.
• If a player sustains an injury during competition, the sports trainer at the Waverley Netball Centre (WNC) should be notified and the injury recorded on the back of the score card. This is important for insurance purposes.
• In the case of serious injury or accident during competition where a parent/guardian is not present, the coach should follow the same procedures as outlined for training sessions.

Returning from injury or illness

• If a player presents at training, or for competition matches following any injury other than concussion, it will be assumed they are ready to fully participate in both unless the players or parent/guardian specifically instructs the coach otherwise.
• It is the responsibility of the player/parent/guardian to advise of any modified training or match requirements e.g. play quarter/half for next n weeks, etc. Your return-to-netball will be agreed to in consultation with the coach with the teams’ best interests as the priority.

Concussion Policy

Highvale Netball Club is bound by Netball Victoria’s concussion policy.

Recognising a Suspected Concussion

Although a medical practitioner should formally diagnose a concussion, all sport stakeholders including players, parents, coaches, officials, teachers, and trainers are responsible for recognising and reporting players with visual signs of a head injury or who report concussion symptoms.

Watch for when a player collides with:

• another player.
• a piece of equipment; or
• building structure / fixture or fittings
• the ground.

Recognising concussion is critical to correct management and prevention of further injury. Onlookers should suspect concussion when an injury results in a knock to the head or body that transmits a force to the head. A hard knock is not required, a concussion can occur from relatively minor knocks.

Common visual cues or signs (what an onlooker may see) include:

• Lying motionless on the playing surface
• Getting up slowly after a direct or indirect blow to the head
• Being disoriented or unable to respond appropriately to questions
• Having a blank or vacant stare
• Having balance and coordination problems such as stumbling or slow laboured movements
• Having a face or head injury

Note: Loss of consciousness, confusion and memory disturbance are all classic features of concussion. The problem with relying on these features to identify a suspected concussion is that they are not present in every case.

Common symptoms (what the player reports):