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Emergency Action Plans

What every coach should know about this important document

Photo: Florida Interscholastic Cycling League

It’s the beginning of the season for many of our leagues, and dialing in our proactive risk management systems is a paramount priority for ALL coaches. A major part of every team’s risk management is the Emergency Action Plan (EAP).

The purpose of an EAP is to help coaches identify, mitigate and manage the risk management concerns of each practice venue. Assessing each venue with a systematic risk management lens can be eye-opening. Completing a thorough EAP may even lead you to reconsider routes or change how you use your trail systems.

Team directors and head coaches should have a completed emergency action plan for every one of their team’s practice locations. ALL coaches should familiarize themselves with each practice location’s EAP and keep a copy (printed or electronic) stored in their coach pack. Key elements of an EAP include emergency response info, weather and environmental considerations, and trail and terrain assessments. 

To create your own EAP, visit NICA’s coach resources by logging into Pit Zone and clicking the Courses, Resources, & Benefits button. Navigate to the coach resources at right, and use NICA’s template to begin your own venue-specific plan.

Remember, risk management isn’t just a box to check before your season starts, or before a practice. Risk management is an ongoing and systematic process, and an EAP is an important part of that process.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

NICA’s Coach Education team exists to support a network of thousands of volunteer coaches across the country in their work to develop youth through the sport of mountain biking. NICA’s coach education provides coaches with the skills, knowledge, and abilities to be confident and effective leaders and role models who build strong minds, bodies, character, and communities through cycling.

Special thanks to CHARGEL, a NICA partner.

NICA Partners are enabling NICA to reinvent youth sports and engage families in a thriving cycling community, for life.

Our Partners’ commitment to NICA’s mission has a huge impact on our student-athletes, their families and communities across the nation. NICA Partners are changing the world by getting #MoreKidsOnBikes!