Athletic Training

The Deerfield athletic training room staff and athletic department staff are permitted to make a decision to refer a student-athlete to emergency services as needed. The protocol for contacting EMS services consists of the following:

1. Evaluate and treat the injured athlete as appropriate
2. Contact the athlete’s parents to inform them of the injury situation and discuss options for emergency care, including ambulance services

• Parent transfer – if the athlete is stable, the parent may be permitted to transfer the athlete to the hospital or location of their choice
• Ambulance transfer – if the athlete is unstable, the EMS may be contacted immediately to ensure quality and timely treatment of the athlete’s condition

3. Contact 911 for emergency care transport – our EMS services typically come from the Bannockburn department and transport to Highland Park Hospital
4. An emergency accident report will be filed immediately with the Athletics administrators for review
5. A follow-up call to the parents will be made to ensure that the treatment of the athlete was sufficient and that they are now in stable condition

At School

Injuries that occur at Deerfield High School should be reported to the coach who will then direct the student to the Athletic Training room for evaluation and treatment.  In most cases, the injuries are minor and the athlete will be instructed on home care and to follow up in the athletic training room the following day. If time permits or the injury is more extensive, parents/guardians will be contacted with instructions for follow-up care and any other concerns that may need to be addressed.

On The Road

If an athlete is injured at an away event, the coach should be notified immediately. Athletes may be taken to the Athletic Trainer at the host school for initial evaluation and treatment. The following day, the athlete must report to the Deerfield Athletic Training Room for further evaluation and treatment. In cases of severe injury, parents/guardians will be contacted about the injury directly by the host school Athletic Trainer.

*If your child sustains an injury that results in loss of play time (game or practice), they must be cleared by the athletic trainer before returning to their sport. In addition, they must participate in at least one full practice before they can participate in a competition.

Questions From Home

If you have a question or are concerned about an injury that your child sustained during athletic participation at Deerfield, please call the Athletic Trainers.

If an injury gets worse the next day, please call the Athletic Training Room so that we may be of assistance in helping you decide what to do. IF YOU HAVE ANY DOUBT ABOUT THE SEVERITY OF AN INJURY, SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION. IF FOR ANY REASON YOUR SON/DAUGHTER NEEDS TO SEE A PHYSICIAN, YOU MUST OBTAIN A PHYSICIAN ORDER FOR TREATMENT AND FOR RELEASE TO PLAY.

*YOUR SON/DAUGHTER WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PLAY WITHOUT THAT NOTE.  NO EXCEPTIONS. 

Athletic Training Room Services

Should your child get injured while playing sports at DHS, the Certified Athletic Trainers can provide many services to help your child on their way to recovery from injury.  Some of these services include the following:

• First aid and wound care
• Injury prevention
• Injury assessment and referral services
• Manual therapy treatment, e.g., stretching, Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization, therapeutic massage
• Taping and bracing
• Therapeutic Exercise/Rehabilitation
• Heat therapy
• Cold therapy
• Cold whirlpool
• Therapeutic Modalities (with a note from a physician only)