The Safe Stars Initiative
Safe Stars is a collaboration between the Tennessee Department of Health and the Vanderbilt Youth Sports Health Center.
The Safe Stars Initiative recognizes youth sports leagues throughout Tennessee for providing the highest level of safety for their young athletes. Safe Stars consists of 3 levels: Gold, Silver, and Bronze, and involves implementation of policies around topics such as concussion education, weather safety and injury prevention.
Safe Stars’ goal is to provide resources and opportunities for every youth sports league to enhance their safety standards. The criteria for achieving recognition as a Safe Stars league has been developed by a committee of health professionals dedicated to reducing sports-related injuries among youth.
To reach the initial level of recognition, Bronze, a league must adhere to the following safety standards:
- Emergency Action Plan (EAP) / Team emergency contacts (specific plan and practiced annually)
- Anaphylaxis and Allergy Emergency response plan
- Background and fingerprinting checks completed on all coaches
- Severe weather policy (including heat and lightning)
- Completion of a Safe Stars Coaches Code of Conduct
- Safeguarding Policy for preventing and reporting child abuse and neglect
- All coaches CPR/AED trained: Resources: Project ADAM, Red Cross
- All coaches trained annually in concussion. Complete one of these courses: NFHS Concussion in Sports course or CDC Heads Up course
- All coaches trained annually in sudden cardiac arrest recognition/management. Complete the NFHS Sudden Cardiac Arrest Course
- All coaches trained annually in heat illness prevention. Complete the NFHS Heat Illness Prevention Course
- Students’ parent/guardian must sign the Sudden Cardiac Arrest symptoms and warning signs information sheet
- Informational meeting or video before athletic season for students, parents, coaches and school officials on sudden cardiac arrest, heat illness, concussions, EKG, and other safety information
(Complete all Bronze criteria) and adhere to the following safety standards:
- AED available at hosted events
- Completion of Safe Stars Parents/Guardians Code of Conduct
- Plus, any two criteria from “Additional Criteria List” below
(Complete all Silver and Bronze criteria) and adhere to the following safety standards:
- AED on site for all hosted practices and games
(Available within 3-5 minutes of site) - Plus, any four criteria from “Additional Criteria List” below
- Pre-participation Physical Examination (PPE) required
- Risk and safety information/policies relayed to parents/guardians
- All coaches complete additional health, safety and injury prevention training such as, Bullying, Hazing and Inappropriate Behaviors Course, National Alliance for Youth Sports Coaching Course, National Center for Sports Safety PREPARE course and Suicide Prevention for Youth Coaches
- All athletic equipment undergoes safety checks
- Medical professional (ATC, first responder, etc.) on site for practices and/or games
- ALL coaches CPR/AED certified
- On site tobacco free policy
- Promote positive culture and standard of expectations regarding behavior via Coaching Boys into Men and Athletes as Leaders,
- Opioid abuse and misuse awareness/education
Safe Stars Application
To become a Safe Star Organization, click here.
The application recommends that various documents supporting completion of criteria for Safe Stars be uploaded (i.e. CPR/AED certification, inclement weather policies, etc.), so be prepared before beginning the application. Uploading all documents will shorten your application review process.
- Review the criteria and resources page before applying to make sure your organization is qualified
- Pending application acceptance, your organization will receive a certificate of recognition along with a digital copy of the Safe Star logo to display.
- If you do not achieve a Safe Star level, you may reapply at any time.
- Your Safe Star recognition will be in effect for 5 years, after which time you must re-apply.
- You may apply for a higher level star at any time (i.e. your league can qualify for gold instead of silver).
For questions please contact: Safestars.health@tn.gov
Current Safe Star Leagues
Click on the links below to see the leagues that have achieved Safe Star status.
Alvin C. York Institute
Backfield In Motion Inc
Blackman High School
Blackman Middle School
Central Magnet School
Christiana Middle School
Clarksville Parks and Recreation
Dobyns-Bennett High School
Eagleville High School
Eagleville School
Gallatin Soccer Club
Gatlinburg-Pittman High School
Grainger High School
Grassland Middle School
Hendersonville Parks and Recreation (NEW)
Hendersonville Soccer Club
Houston High School
Jefferson County High School (NEW)
Joe Shafer Middle School
John Overton High School
Kingston Parks and Recreation Center
Knox Doss Middle School
Lakeway Christian Academy
LaVergne High School
LaVergne Middle School
Legacy Middle School
Lenoir City High School (NEW)
Merrol Hyde Magnet School
Midway High School
Murfreesboro Parks and Recreation Center
Nashville Youth Encouragement Services
Northview Academy
Oakland High School
Oakland Middle School
Percy Priest Ducks Youth Program
Pigeon Forge High School
Powell High School
Pride Lions Lacrosse
Riverdale High School
Rock Springs Middle School
Rockvale Middle School
Sevier County High School
Seymour High School
Siegel High School
Siegel Middle School
Smyrna High School
Smyrna Middle School
Spring Station Middle School
Station Camp High School
Stewarts Creek High School
Stewarts Creek Middle School
Tellico Plains High School
Tennessee School for the Blind
The Kings Academy
The Webb School
Thompson’s Station Middle School
Thurman Francis Arts Academy
Union County High School
Upper Cumberland United Soccer Club
Washburn High School
White House Middle School
Whitworth-Buchanan Middle School
Coming Soon.
Cheatham Soccer
Resources
Printed copies of the following brochures are available free of charge by emailing safestars.health@tn.gov.
Browse the following topics to learn more:
- How to use and Epinephrine Auto-Injector – Impax Laboratories, Inc.
- Anaphylaxis Emergency Action Plan Template (PDF)
- Sample Asthma Action Plan - Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America
- Anaphylaxis Emergency Action Plan - Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America
- Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Emergency Care Plan (PDF)– Food Allergy Research & Education
- “National Athletic Trainers’ Association Position Statement: Preventing Sudden Death in Sports” – Journal of Athletic Training
- CDC Heads Up - Brain Injury Basics
- Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) Concussion Policy
- Concussion Training for Students - National Federation of High Schools (NFHS)
- Concussion in Sports Training for Coaches - National Federation of High School Sports (NFHS)
- CDC HEADS UP Online Concussion Training
- CDC Heads UP to Youth Sports Coaches: Training, Fact Sheets, Resources and Additional Information
- CDC Heads Up - Concussion Information (Español)
· CPR & AED Training – NFHS/Vanderbilt Sports Health Center (NEW! – NFHS Press Release 9-21-23)
· Project ADAM Middle and West TN Chapter: AED Training - Project ADAM (Middle TN)
· Project ADAM East TN Chapter: AED Training - Project ADAM (East TN)
· CPR Training - American Red Cross
· CPR Training – CPR Choice (Nashville)
· CPR/AED Training - American Red Cross
· Funding Opportunity for AEDs - Got AED Crowdfunding Site
· TDH Application for free AED upon Safe Stars recognition*
*Organizations must meet qualifications for BRONZE level and demonstrate need.
- Emergency Action Plan Guidelines – Occupational Safety and Health Administration
- Emergency Action Planning Program - Anyone Can Save a Life
- Emergency Action Plan Template (PDF)
- “The Inter-Association Task Force Document on Emergency Health and Safety: Best Practice Recommendations for Youth Sports Leagues”
- Safeguarding Policy
- Creating Abuse Free Sporting Environments - U.S. Center for Safe Sport
- Bullying, Hazing and Inappropriate Behaviors Online Course – National Federation of High School Sports
- Child Protection and Safeguarding in Sport – Sportanddev.org
- Safeguarding in Sport – Children 1st
- Youth Sexual Abuse Prevention Policy & Procedures (PDF) – Positive Coaching Alliance
- Darkness to Light End Child Abuse - https://www.d2l.org/
- Community Resources for Responding to Child Sexual Abuse - PDF
- U.S. Center for Safe Sport - https://uscenterforsafesport.org/training-and-education/
- Lightning Safety: Large Venues – NOAA
- For assistance with your Severe Weather Policy Toolkit, feel free to contact meteorologist Matt Reagan (matt.reagan@noaa.gov) or Charles Woodrum (Charles.woodrum@noaa.gov)
- Health & Safety Policies and Resources - TSSAA
- Heat Policy (PDF) - TSSAA
- Heat Illness Prevention Course – NFHS
- Heat & Hydration, Heat Acclimation (PDF) – Korey Stringer Institute
- Lightning Safety Tips and Resources – National Weather Service (NOAA)
- Severe Weather Policy Template (Word Document)
- 2014-15 NCAA Sports Medicine Handbook, Page 17 Lightning Safety (PDF)
- Preseason Heat-Acclimatization Guidelines for Secondary School Athletics” – Journal of Athletic Training
- Sudden Cardiac Arrest Training for Coaches - NFHS
- Sudden Cardiac Arrest Symptoms and Warning Signs Information Sheet
- Journal of Athletic Training:
- “The Inter-Association Task Force for Preventing Sudden Death in Secondary School Athletics Programs: Best-Practices Recommendations”
- “Inter-Association Task Force Recommendations on Emergency Preparedness and Management of Sudden Cardiac Arrest in High School and College Athletic Programs: A Consensus Statement”
- Coaching Youth Sports Training - National Alliance for Youth Sports, Inc.
- PREPARE Course for Sports Safety – National Center for Sports Safety
- First Aid Training: Prepare for the Unexpected – American Red Cross
- Suicide Prevention Training (Coaches Library) – The Jason Foundation
- USA Heads Up Football Safer Practice and Play
- Vanderbilt ACL Injury Prevention Program (VIDEO)
- TSSAA State Coaching Requirements and Coach Information Sheet
- Opioid Use and Adolescents Part 1 – Quiz Time Course
- Opioid Use and Adolescents Part 2 – Quiz Time Course
American Society of Shoulder and Elbow Therapists
Belmont University Athletic Department
Brain Links
Children’s Hospital Alliance of Tennessee
Children’s Hospital at Erlanger
Cumberland Pediatric Foundation
East Tennessee Children’s Hospital
LeBonheur Children’s Hospital
Lipscomb University Athletic Department
Memphis Grizzlies
Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt
Nashville Coaching Coalition
Nashville Predators
Nashville Soccer Club
Nashville Sounds
Nashville Sports Council
National Football League Players Association - Nashville Former Players Chapter
Niswonger Children’s Hospital
Office of Tennessee Attorney General
Program for Injury Prevention in Youth Sports at Vanderbilt
Safe Kids Cumberland Valley
Special Olympics - Tennessee
Tennessee Academy of Family Physicians
Tennessee Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance
Tennessee Athletic Trainers Society
Tennessee Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics
Tennessee Children's Emergency Care Alliance
Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development
Tennessee Department of Health
Tennessee Governor’s Children’s Cabinet (Kidcentraltn.com)
Tennessee Medical Association
Tennessee Nurses Association
Tennessee Orthopedic Society
Tennessee Osteopathic Medical Association
Tennessee Recreation and Parks Association
Tennessee Physical Therapy Association
Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association
Tennessee State Soccer Association
Tennessee Tech University Athletic Department
University of Tennessee Athletic Department
Vanderbilt University Athletic Department
Vanderbilt Sports Medicine
Vanderbilt University Medical Center