Player Safety
The Scottsdale Argonauts have partnered with USA Football as active participants in the comprehensive Heads Up Safety Program. It’s a full featured practice and game safety program that addresses key safety issues – while making sure that our coaches understands and knows how to implement each part of the program.
Player safety is priority one with the Scottsdale Argonauts. Some of our key safety elements include concussion recognition and response, heat preparedness and hydration, sudden cardiac issues, proper equipment fitting, blocking and tackling.
Concussion Awareness
We teach a style of play that promotes player safety. Our concussion recognition and response procedures follow USA Football’s proven effective guidelines. Our coaches are taught the signs of a concussion. They are taught the symptoms of a concussion. Our policy is to immediately pull a player from a game or practice if a concussion is suspected.
We follow a 4-step process if a concussion is suspected:
1. Remove the athlete from play.
2. Ensure the athlete is immediately evaluated by trained medical personnel.
3. Inform the athlete’s parent or guardian of a suspected concussion.
4. Only allow an athlete to return to play when cleared by a medical doctor AND after following our return-to-play procedure.
Parent Education
The Scottsdale Argonauts want your child and you to enjoy your experience with our program. We offer these guidelines to make your association with our team great for all.
- Help make the sport fun for your child. Fun must be present for your child to use football to develop as a player and a person. Encourage fun. Even though we play at a highly competitive level, we have room for fun. If you child is not having fun in our program, please speak with us immediately.
- Accept our thanks. We appreciate the support you give your child and our program. Your assistance by bringing snacks to games, volunteering, fundraising, cheering and getting your child to practice and games is appreciated by all!
- Be a parent, not a coach. Be your child’s best fan, unconditionally. Your job is to be a parent. Leave the coaching and instruction up to the Argos coaching staff. Coaching your child interferes with your role as their primary supporter and biggest fan! The last thing your child needs to hear after a disappointing performance is your critique.
- Support the coaching staff. The relationship between you and our coaching staff is critical to the development of your child. Your child will have more fun, more confidence and play better knowing that you support their coach and training. The best way to help your child is to support the coaches and not challenge them. Have confidence in your coaches (that’s why you have your child in our program) and teach your kid to do the same. If you have a question of the coach, ask it in a friendly manner away from your child and other players.
- Be on time. Please make sure your child is on time and fully prepared for all events. Your child is learning from you. Being punctual and prepared are two important life lessons you can help teach.
- Your child is not their performance. One of the worst things we see in competitive football are parents who withdraw from their child as a way of punishing poor performance. Your job as a parent is to love your child unconditionally – even if they’ve had a poor game.
- Challenge without threats. It’s OK to challenge your kids to new heights, but please don’t use guilt and threats as motivators. In our experience, threats take the fun away from the game for your child and lead to poorer performance, not better. Encouragement and support are your best motivators.
- Avoid comparisons. Every kid is unique. Please don’t compare your child with other players, including your other children. Each kid develops differently, and we’ve found comparing your child with others does way more harm than good.