Linden High School has been awarded national honor roll status for its commitment to continual development of its athletics coaches to help them better lead and protect student athletes.
LHS is one of just 95 schools across the country to meet the requirements for Level 1 of the Honor Roll Program of National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). Only five schools in New Jersey have been honored.
“This is an achievement that your school and community should celebrate,” said Dan Schuster, NFHS director of educational services. “The NFHS School Honor Roll program provides a pathway for coaches within schools to be honored for their involvement in professional development.”
To reach Level 1 of the Honor Roll, more than 90 percent of LHS coaches have completed four required professional development courses, which are “Concussion in Sports,” “Sudden Cardiac Arrest,” “Protecting Students from Abuse,” and “Fundamentals of Coaching.”
“Our coaches demonstrate their total dedication to their student-athletes on a daily basis, and this honor is a product of that commitment,” said Athletic Director Steven Viana. “We couldn’t be prouder that our coaches seek out these professional development opportunities to ensure that Linden athletes always get the best.”
This prestigious honor comes on the heels of LHS receiving the Safe Sports School Award from the National Athletic Trainers Association in 2019. This honor recognizes secondary schools around the country that take the crucial steps necessary to put their athletes in the safest possible environment.
To achieve Safe Sports School status, LHS had to demonstrate a positive athletics health care administration system, including appropriate physical exams for each sport, safe facilities, appropriate treatment areas, emergency action plans for each venue, athlete education, and more.
“These two honors together demonstrate the total commitment of our administration, coaches, and athletic trainers to make sure student-athletes are protected and cared for on and off the field,” Viana said. “Our staff is committed to allowing them to concentrate on pursuing excellence and having fun on the field without undue concerns for their health and safety.”