TEN STEPS TO SAFETY SERIES ANNOUNCED

Cherry Hill, NJ – July 15, 2008 – Under the guidance of its partner, Kidz-IDz, the North American Booster Club Association (NABCA) has added child safety awareness and education to its core mission.

NABCA is proud to unveil the first of many safety initiatives, the TEN STEPS TO SAFEY SERIES. This series will provide Booster Club members with lessons on Water Safety, Bicycle Safety, Traffic Safety, Outdoor Safety, School Safety, Fire Safety, Halloween Safety, Home Safety, Drug & Alcohol Safety, and finally, Stranger Safety. Steve Beden, Executive DirectOR of NABCA, explains that “the lessons that we have selected for the Ten Steps to Safety Series represent a broad range of issues that our children encounter on a daily basis. Empowering our children to act appropriately in everyday scenarios will go a long way toward promoting smart decision making techniques, and preventing mishaps.”

Beginning in August, each lesson will be provided to NABCA members in an email format, bi-weekly, with the series culminating in December. According to Michael Pouls, Founder of Kidz-IDz, “parents will be encouraged to review each lesson with their children, so that together, they may establish best practices that integrate with their own unique lifestyle and family guidelines.”

Under the guidance of their parents, children are invited to sketch & color a picture that illustrates what they learned after each TEN STEPS TO SAFETY LESSON. Pictures may be submitted to Kidz-IDz via email or mail, and if selected, will be posted on NABCA’s website for all to appreciate. Furthermore, one winning picture will be selected to receive a free Safetyville board game. Created by Michael Pouls at Kidz-IDz, Safetyville is a great way for families to spent time together while learning important safety lessons. What’s more, children get so absorbed in this competitive board game that they don't even realize they are learning how to stay safe in today's unsafe world.

The North American Booster Club Association (NABCA) (www.boosterclubs.org) is the governing body and first of its kind national booster club association dedicated to providing booster clubs and their extracurricular organizations throughout North America with the highest level of Guidance, Education, Training and Support.

Kidz-IDz, a leader in child safety, was founded in 2002 by child safety advocate, Michael Pouls. Six years thereafter, in early 2008, the Free ID Card Program for all Booster Club members was launched. Booster Club members simply log onto www.kidzidz.com/nabca to get their free Child Photo ID & Medical Emergency Card with bonus Electronic ID (nominal s&h). The ID Card may be shown to helpful bystanders to help locate a lost child who has wandered from their parents or group, or it may be provided to medical personnel in the event of a medical emergency. Meanwhile, the Electronic ID includes personalized files that parents may update & store in the privacy of their home computer, which may be passed along, electronically, to law enforcement agencies and missing children agencies. For more information, please contact Michael Pouls or Mindy Hershorin at 610-520-2014.

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THE NATIONAL ATHLETIC TRAINERS’ ASSOCIATION AND NORTH AMERICAN BOOSTER CLUB ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP

Underscoring commitment to secondary school sport injury prevention
and treatment, the two organizations have developed a
Sports Safety Checklist for parents and coaches

ST. LOUIS, MO., June 18, 2008 – To underscore their commitment to secondary school sports injury prevention and treatment, the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) and the North American Booster Club Association (NABCA) today announced a partnership at NATA’s annual meeting in St. Louis. As a first step in this partnership, NATA member Kira Au, MS, ATC, head athletic trainer at Bishop Amat Memorial High School in La Puente, Calif., will become the first athletic trainer appointed to the NABCA national advisory board. The associations also introduced a sports safety checklist as a guide for parents, coaches, administrators, athletic trainers and other health care professionals, to ensure safe and healthy play.

“We are excited to partner with NABCA to educate parents and coaches on how to help high school athletes avoid common sports-related injuries,” said NATA President Chuck Kimmel, ATC. “After all, the safety of young athletes is a top priority for certified athletic trainers who specialize in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries.”

“Teaming up with NATA is a natural fit for our organization, and we’re pleased to welcome Kira Au to our national advisory board,” said Steve Beden, President and CEO of NABCA. “We look forward to working with NATA on ongoing projects to reduce the number of injuries among children playing sports in the U.S.”

Sports Safety Checklist

Following are highlights of the NATA and NABCA sports safety guidelines. An electronic version of the entire checklist is available at www.nata.org and www.boosterclubs.org

1. Coaches should develop a written emergency action plan to prepare for possible sport-related injuries.
2. If there is no certified athletic trainer on staff, coaches, parents and officials should be trained in first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and use of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs).
3. Make sure that athletes have their own water bottles and stay well hydrated.
4. Develop educational programs for parents and athletes regarding conditioning, strength training, hydration, nutrition, injury prevention and care, rules and fundamentals of the sport.
5. Plan a mock emergency to practice execution of the emergency action plan.
6. Determine what to include in a first aid kit for specific sports.
7. On a regular basis, perform a safety check of the facility.
8. Develop a sports/parent “code of conduct” and always show good sportsmanship.
9. Understand the fundamentals and rules of the sport, and be supportive of your child and the coach.
10. Coaches should always arrange a pre-season meeting for parents outlining the school’s or league’s philosophies and safety procedures.

For more information, visit the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (www.nata.org)
and North American Booster Club Association (www.boosterclubs.org).

North American Booster Club Association (NABCA)
The North American Booster Club Association (NABCA) is the governing body and first of its kind national booster club association dedicated to providing booster clubs and their extracurricular organizations throughout North America with the highest level of guidance, education, training and support. NABCA supports the more than 1.3 million school, non-school, sports, music and arts based booster clubs who work to insure the continuation of extracurricular programs that provide life skills, build strong leaders and keep our kids in school, out of gangs and off drugs. Visit www.boosterclubs.org.

National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) – Health Care for Life & Sport
Athletic trainers are unique health care professionals who specialize in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries and illnesses. The National Athletic Trainers' Association represents and supports 30,000 members of the athletic training profession. NATA advocates for equal access to athletic trainers for patients and clients of all ages and supports H.R. 1846. Only 42 percent of high schools have access to athletic trainers. NATA members adhere to a code of ethics. Visit www.nata.org.

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“Kira brings a wealth of talent, passion and knowledge to the advisory board and will help to mold the support NABCA can provide to both parents of athletes and fellow sports organizations and associations,” said NABCA President Steve Beden. “Safety should always be considered a priority in sports, and the role NABCA plays in educating parents is ideal for insuring that this message rings loud and clear.”

“The opportunity to become a member of the NABCA national advisory board is both an honor and a privilege and I look forward to helping provide the association with the best leadership possible, just as I provide my athletes with the best quality health care possible. I understand the importance and benefit of having access to a Certified Athletic Trainer and I firmly believe that all secondary schools should seek to employ a Certified Athletic Trainer. The health and safety of athletes should be a top priority in all athletic programs.”

About NABCA
The North American Booster Club Association (NABCA) (www.boosterclubs.org) is the governing body and first of its kind national booster club association dedicated to providing booster clubs and their extracurricular organizations throughout North America with the highest level of Guidance, Education, Training and Support. NABCA supplies booster clubs with the most comprehensive portfolio of resources and club building tools available to help build and manage successful clubs. Booster Clubs are a key component to a successful extracurricular program as they provide funding, volunteer support, upkeep for facilities, fields and equipment, transportation and scholarships.

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