University of Kentucky Manages Risks of Club Sports

Each of the University of Kentucky’s (UK) 39 club sports programs—from aikido to water polo—has unique needs and risks, requiring an individualized approach to risk management. In light of this, the university implemented a Club Sports Risks Management Plan Development Program, requiring each club to develop an annual customized risk management plan to address specific risks, medical supervision, emergency action plans, and travel policies.

Mark Lattin, UK’s club sports director and a member of the university’s risk management committee, worked with the campus recreation department, director of campus recreation, and risk management office to develop the plan and encourage clubs to participate. Each club received a template to guide plan development.

“We wanted our clubs to see the sports office as an ally in improving their participants’ experience and also in protecting the student leadership from both tragedy and liability,” Lattin says. Another goal was to help club sports move toward a more varsity-like experience and avoid forcing clubs to implement generic rules dictated by the club sports director.

The clubs supported the project, says Lattin, who told them, “We believe you are doing a great job, but we need to capture what you do on paper.” Only three of the 39 clubs failed to submit a risk management plan in 2012, falling just short of the college’s 100 percent compliance goal, but that was an improvement over 2011, when only 27 clubs submitted a plan by the deadline.

The planning team created a rubric to measure and compare the plans’ quality. The team holds one-on-one meetings with club leaders to assess knowledge acquisition and improvements in leadership and management skills.

Additionally, the university imposed penalties—such as the loss of practice facilities or the inability to access funding—to increase compliance.

Providing Training

Clubs that submitted approved plans received fully stocked first aid kits and access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs). In addition, club sports safety officers and other members were offered free CPR, AED, and first aid classes. Approximately 25 percent of club officers have been trained and certified through these classes. Each club must have two certified safety officers at practices, Lattin says. UK also ensures that club teams have access to AEDs in remote, unsupervised facilities and at club sports fields.

Achieving Results

The program is working, Lattin says. Club presidents have become more focused on managing risks. They inquire about medical coverage, consider operational choices, such as changing a travel policy to hire charter buses instead of carpooling, and have pursued additional coaching certifications.

The risk management program has increased students’ security and confidence to address an emergency situation, says Monica Scott, women’s lacrosse team president.

“After having several accidents, being able to follow the plan helped provide the proper procedures for each injury and expedite the time taken for students to receive medical treatment,” says Zach Brown, dodge ball team president.

Clubs haven’t been good at documenting their injuries, but injury reporting is on the rise, and UK plans to roll out an automated data collection system, Lattin says. Once it has obtained enough data, UK will track trends and update the risk management program to address and/or mitigate the risk of certain types of injuries.

Lessons Learned

• Each club’s plan should address:
• The sport’s specific risks
• How safe practices and games will be conducted
• Who will supervise games and practices
• First aid training/certifications completed
• Travel policy
• How emergencies will be handled
• The process for reporting injuries and accidents
• Provide flexibility for clubs to address their specific risks, allowing them to set reasonable goals for ensuring safety for members. 
• Set a deadline for creating a workable draft of the risk management plan, with the understanding that the draft can be improved. 
• Create a scoring rubic to ensure plans can be compared each year to ensure improvement. 
• Give student leadership control over the plan and its implementation. 
• Provide student leaders with quality resources and guidance and annual updates about particular medical issues, such as concussion management.