Magic
93 deejay Frankie Warren, left,
and HKQ Kids spokeswoman
Attorney Michelle Quinn produced
a TV campaign to promote a
cheerleading safety
certification program Nov. 4,
2006, which drew for nearly 100
coaches and advisors from
Northeastern Pennsylvania and
surrounding areas. WATCH
TV SPOT (Windows
Media Player)
Cheerleading can be a fun, challenging and gratifying sport for students and their families. But without proper training and safety precautions, it can also be dangerous.
Earlier this year, a widely reported study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics found that between 1990 and 2002, nearly 209,000 young people ages 5 to 18 had been treated at U.S. emergency rooms for cheerleading-related
injuries.
While it raised public awareness about the dangers of cheerleading, the study’s authors concluded the sport could be made much safer through professional safety training for coaches, and uniform safety procedures at high schools, college and universities. As a result, the NCAA has begun requiring all cheerleading coaches to undergo safety certification. But there are no such requirements for youth and secondary programs in
Pennsylvania.
As part of its ongoing efforts to prevent injury and keep the kids of Luzerne County safe, HKQ Kids sponsored a FREE half-day safety certification program for all cheerleading coaches and advisers in Luzerne County on the morning of Saturday, Nov. 4, 2006, at the Scandlon Gymnasium on the campus of King’s College, North Main Street, Wilkes-Barre.
The program was conducted by representatives of the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators, which conducts cheerleading safety and certification training programs nationwide. It was open to all area cheerleading coaches and advisers for programs from youth through college level. HKQ Kids picked up all costs related to the program, including the $75-per-person certification fee for all coaches and advisers. Certification is good for four years.
“The report published in Pediatrics clearly signaled the need for more training for cheerleading coaches and advisors at all levels,” said Attorney Michelle Quinn, a principal in the law firm of Hourigan, Kluger & Quinn and spokeswoman for HKQ Kids. “By providing free safety training for coaches and advisers in our area, we hope to make Northeastern Pennsylvania a national leader in cheerleading safety and help fulfill our mission of keeping our kids safe."
