Got an idea for a holiday? Send it to us

Submit Now

National Youth Sports Safety Month – April 2024

National Youth Sports Safety Month is observed in April to bring much-needed awareness to sports injuries and physical trauma encumbered upon the youths. Intending to promote safety at the playground, the observation promotes the collective measures that the parents, coaches, and kids on the playfield can take to ensure safe outdoor engagements every day. It is the initiative of Massachusetts native Rita Glassman, who sought inspiration from her injured daughter to dedicate a month to propagate the merits of ensuring children’s safety on the playing field and beyond.

History of National Youth Sports Safety Month

National Youth Sports Safety Month is observed in April. Sports should be a part of every kid’s life. Although its importance cannot be understated, most parents and coaches fail to acknowledge the strenuous toll that sports can take on a child. More than a million kids are rushed to the emergency room for sports-related injuries every year, and 90% of students admitted to suffering injuries while playing a sport. Most of these injuries can take a serious turn, and while no one can admit to being casual on the field, a majority of participants miss out on some serious precautions that can minimize injuries. Heat, exhaustion, over-enthusiasm, and strenuous activities are some of the reasons why students suffer serious injuries on the field.

Such was the fate of Michelle Glassman — a sophomore who suffered a severe back injury in the late 1990s after a stretched session at the tennis court. Consequently, the injury took a turn for the worse, and she had to give up her tennis career. Upset and shocked by the circumstances of her daughter, Rita Glassman founded the National Youth Sports Safety Foundation in 1989 to raise awareness about the widely ignored crisis of youth sports injuries in America. The National Youth Sports Safety Foundation believes that childhood injuries are mostly the fault of adults, although kids suffer the most. Injuries transcend beyond the physical realm and can manifest emotionally as well.

Since 2001, the non-profit observes the month of April as National Youth Sports Safety Month. Through the observance, the foundation organizes month-long education camps, seminars, and summits to educate the public regarding the importance of maintaining safety on the field. The month also encourages caregivers to instill sportsmanship and cooperation in the field.

National Youth Sports Safety Month timeline

1903
The Introduction to Youth Sports

New York City introduces a competitive championship through the Public Schools Athletic League.

1939
Formalization and Commercialization

Little League Baseball is established in Pennslyvania to organize local youth softball and baseball and softball leagues across the country.

1989
The Safety Foundation

The National Youth Sports Safety Foundation is formed by Rita Glassman to raise awareness about the prevention of youth sports injuries.

2001
The Month is Established

Glassman formally establishes the month of April as National Youth Sports Safety Month.

National Youth Sports Safety Month FAQs

What is RICE?

RICE stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation. It is basic first aid training in the event of a sports injury on the field.

What are the five Ps of child protection?

As per the 1995 Children’s Order, the five principles of child protection are prevention, partnership, paramountcy, partnership, and parental responsibility.

What is the most common sports-related injury in youths?

Strains and contusions are some of the most common sports-related injuries sustained by youth athletes, followed by knee and ankle sprains.

How to Observe National Youth Sports Safety Month

  1. Educate the youth

    The central aim of the observation is to educate the young participants and their guardians about the necessary prevention and safety precautions that must be taken by everyone on the field. As the academic year comes to a close and youth involvement in sports reaches an all-time high, the month of April is best suited to host educational seminars regarding the topic.

  2. Send your kid to a summer camp

    Summer camps are enriching experiences that teach us a lot and give us some of the most memorable experiences of childhood. National Youth Sports Safety Foundation partners with summer camps across the country and organizes educational summits about basic preventive measures to avoid sports injuries.

  3. Stay active

    Stay active — great advice that goes a long way for people of all ages. There’s no better way to prevent injuries than to keep your body fit. By participating in year-round sports, exercises, and wellness routines, youths can build a healthy perspective on safety and minimize sports injuries.

5 Ways To Ensure Kids’ Safety On The Field

  1. Encourage hydration

    Build a hydration routine that includes drinking water before, during, and after playtime.

  2. Stretch it out

    Institute gentle stretching exercises like jogging and cardio before a big game.

  3. Rest and relaxation

    Ensure the prevalence of ‘days off in the playing routine, which allows the body to heal and rejuvenate.

  4. First-aid alert

    Teach kids the basics of first aid such as the application of an adhesive bandage, C.P.R., and the ABCs of care.

  5. Expert advice

    Schedule physical exams to identify underlying issues that can hinder full participation.

Why National Youth Sports Safety Month is Important

  1. Safety is important

    The importance of paying attention to safety procedures cannot be understated. Be it on the field or in life, by following the safety protocols we protect not just ourselves but the people around us. Youth sports safety measures minimize the chances of injuries and equip us with the right tool to deal with them, should they occur despite our best efforts.

  2. The future awaits

    The overexcited and inconsequential behavior displayed on the field by the youth can destroy their life in the blink of an eye. Michelle Glassman learned this lesson the hard way when a severe back injury jeopardized her tennis career and closed several other doors in her life. The National Youth Sports Safety Month is observed to teach the youth the lesson that a fun backflip after a two-hour football match is not worth risking their safety.

  3. Precaution pays

    Safety should be an important prerequisite for participating in sports. Recent studies have concluded that precaution is a powerful way of preventing real-life injury. Precautions should be taken by coaches, teachers, physical trainers, and the student athletes in the form of behavior, diligence, special training, and proper warm-ups before going into the field.

National Youth Sports Safety Month dates

YearDateDay
2024April 1Monday
2025April 1Tuesday
2026April 1Wednesday
2027April 1Thursday
2028April 1Saturday
Be Kind to Spiders Week
Blue Ribbon Week
Golden Rule Week
International Pooper Scooper Week
Laugh at Work Week
Medication Safety Week
National Bake Week
National Cancer Registrars Week
National Public Health Week
National Window Safety Week
Take Your Poet to School Week
Testicular Cancer Awareness Week
April Fools' Day
Assyrian New Year
Boomer Bonus Days
Community Garden Week
Cyprus National Holiday
Dyngus Day
Easter Monday
Edible Book Day
Fossil Fools Day
International Fun at Work Day
International Tatting Day
Library Snap Shot Day
Lupus Alert Day
Martyrdom of Imam Ali
Mathematics and Statistics Awareness Month
Myles Day
National Connor Day
National Fun Day
National Greeting Card Day
National Loyal Day
National One Cent Day
National Sourdough Bread Day
National Trombone Players Day
Nature Day
Nickelodeon Anniversary Celebration Day
Odisha Day
Reading is Funny Day
St. Stupid Day
Take Down Tobacco National Day of Action
U.S. Air Force Academy Day
U.S. Air Force Academy Day
White House Easter Egg Roll
Adopt a Ferret Month
Adopt a Greyhound Month
Arab American Heritage Month
Autism Acceptance Month
Bowel Cancer Awareness Month
Brussels Sprouts and Cabbage Month
Cancer Control Month
Canine Fitness Month
Celebrate Diversity Month
Cesarean Awareness Month
Child Abuse Awareness Month
Children and Nature Awareness Month
Counseling Awareness Month
Couple Appreciation Month
Cranberries and Gooseberries Month
Deaf History Month
Defeat Diabetes Month
Distracted Driving Awareness Month
Dog Appreciation Month
Earth Month
Emotional Overeating Awareness Month
Fair Housing Month
Filipino Food Month
Financial Capability Month
Financial Literacy Month
Fresh Florida Tomato Month
Genocide Awareness Month
Global Astronomy Month
Global Child Nutrition Month
Grange Month
Heartworm Awareness Month
IBS Month
Informed Women Month
International Amateur Radio Month
International Customer Loyalty Month
International Guitar Month
Jazz Appreciation Month
Keep America Beautiful Month
Month of the Military Child
Move More Month
Multicultural Communications Month
Multiple Birth Awareness Month
National African-American Women's Fitness Month
National Alcohol Awareness Month
National BLT Sandwich Month
National Car Care Month
National Card and Letter Writing Month
National Decorating Month
National Donate Life Month
National Facial Protection Month
National Food Month
National Foot Health Awareness Month
National Fresh Celery Month
National Frog Month
National Garlic Month
National Grilled Cheese Month
National Humor Month
National Internship Awareness Month
National Kite Month
National Knuckles Down Month
National Literature Month
National Minority Health Month
National Month of Hope
National Pecan Month
National Pest Management Month
National Pet First Aid Awareness Month
National Poetry Month
National Rebuilding Month
National Safe Digging Month
National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month
National Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) Education and Awareness Month
National Sjogren's Syndrome Awareness Month
National Social Security Month
National Soft Pretzel Month
National Soy Foods Month
National Volunteer Month
National Welding Month
National Woodworking Month
National Youth Sports Safety Month
Occupational Therapy Month
Panagyaman Rice Festival
Parkinson's Awareness Month
Parkinson's Awareness Month
Parliamentary Law Month
Pharmacists War on Diabetes Month
Physical Wellness Month
Poetic Earth Month
Prevent Lyme Disease in Dogs Month
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month
Primary Immunodeficiency Month
Records and Information Management Month
Records and Information Management Month
Rosacea Awareness Month
Sarcoidosis Awareness Month
School Library Month
Scottish-American Heritage Month
Sexual Assault Awareness Month
Sports Eye Safety Awareness Month
Step up for 30 For Bowel Cancer Month
STI Awareness Month
Straw Hat Month
Stress Awareness Month
Summer Tire Changeover Month
SunSmart Skin Cancer Prevention
Testicular Cancer Awareness Month
Tomatillo and Asian Pear Month
Women's Eye Health and Safety Month
Workplace Conflict Awareness Month
World Autism Month
World Landscape Architecture Month
Worldwide Bereaved Spouses Awareness Month

Holidays Straight to Your Inbox

Every day is a holiday!
Receive fresh holidays directly to your inbox.