For Immediate Release
OTTAWA (June 5, 2015) – The Coaching Association of Canada (CAC) supports the education-driven recommendations made by the jury serving on the inquest into the death of Rowan Stringer highlighting the important role an educated coach plays in the prevention, identification, and management of sport-related concussions and return to play for participants.
“The Coaching Association of Canada and its partners recognize the importance of concussion awareness and preparedness as an essential part of coach training,” said Lorraine Lafrenière, Chief Executive Officer of the CAC. “Through the National Coaching Certification Program, we help our partners implement strategies to ensure safe environments for athletes in all sports. We are proud to continue to provide coaches with concussion awareness resources and education that are in line with many of the jury’s recommendations.”
The CAC partners with more than 500 Canadian sport organizations in the development and delivery of coach training as part of its flagship program, the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP).
The NCCP, identified as a world-leader in coach education, has a long-standing recognition of the value of the role of the coach in all matters of safety in sport. Core components of NCCP coach training at all levels include ethical decision-making, safety of participants, and emergency action plan development.
Rugby Canada is an NCCP partner that continuously demonstrates their commitment to athlete safety. Rugby Canada’s NCCP programs are fully integrated with World Rugby’s international standards for concussion protocols and management.
“Rugby Canada is thoroughly reviewing the recommendations made by the jury serving on the inquest into the death of Rowan Stringer and supports any steps that make the game safer for its players,” said Jim Dixon, Rugby Canada General Manager, Rugby Operations and Performance. “We will continue to work with our partners such as the CAC and World Rugby, to ensure players, coaches, referees, and volunteers have the tools and education to prevent, identify, and manage concussions.”
“Player safety is, and will continue to be a priority for Rugby Canada. All registered Rugby Canada coaches must meet minimum NCCP and World Rugby coach education requirements including Make Ethical Decisions and World Rugby’s Concussion Management program and Rugby Ready module.”
The CAC is committed to ensuring all sport organization partners and coaches have access to concussion awareness resources. With funding from the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Active and Safe Initiative, and in collaboration with the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport, Hockey Canada, and Parachute Canada, the CAC created the award-winning Making Head Way eLearning series.
The free Making Head Way module educates coaches, parents, athletes, teachers, and officials on concussion prevention, signs and symptoms, management, and internationally recognized return to play protocol. The Making Head Way series was developed in consultation with medical experts Dr. Jamie Kissick, Dr. Mark Aubry, and Dr. Charles Tator and is available for small or large-scale use immediately via coach.ca. Proof of completion of the module is available publicly through the CAC’s national database upon successful completion.
For more information on the CAC’s concussion awareness tools and resources, including the Making Head Way eLearning Series, please visit: coach.ca/concussion.
About the Coaching Association of Canada
The Coaching Association of Canada unites stakeholders and partners in its commitment to raising the skills and stature of coaches, and ultimately expanding their reach and influence. Through its programs, the CAC empowers coaches with knowledge and skills, promotes ethics, fosters positive attitudes, builds competence, and increases the credibility and recognition of coaches.
About Rugby Canada
Rugby Canada is a member of World Rugby (formerly the International Rugby Board) and is also the National Sport Organization (NSO) responsible for administrating the game of Rugby Fifteens and Rugby Sevens in Canada. Rugby Canada’s mandate is to keep Canadian rugby competitive at the highest levels domestically and internationally. For more information, visit www.rugbycanada.ca.
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For more information, contact:
Natalie Rumscheidt
Director, Marketing and Communications
Coaching Association of Canada
613-235-5000, ext. 2051
nrumscheidt@coach.ca
Bryan Kelly
Manager of Communications and Media Relations
Rugby Canada
250-418-8998, ext. 314
bkelly@rugbycanada.ca
