Even the most well-meaning organizations drop the ball when it comes to injury tracking. And honestly? It’s rarely about negligence—it’s about systems. Or more often, the lack of one.

Whether you're managing youth sports, school athletics, or community programs, accurate injury reporting is critical. Not just for compliance, but for athlete safety, liability protection, and long-term performance tracking.

In 2014, Pennsylvania athletic trainer Alex Zettlemoyer sought to better understand the relationship between coaches and athletic trainers. He conducted interviews with coaches and parents of youth athletes and identified three main characteristics that comprise successful relationships between coaches and athletic trainers; effective communication, commitment to the program, professional knowledge and integrity.