The Football Association’s Medical and Exercise Science Department delivered a Sports First Aid Course to delegates from CONCACAF at the Dr Joao Havelange Centre in Trinidad in June.

The Department’s Deputy Head Mike Healy, and senior FA physiotherapists Tracy Lewis and Simon Spencer spent five days with 21 representatives from 17 of the Caribbean Islands that comprise CONCACAF, teaching national team first aiders the basic first aid and lifesaving skills.

The course covered the newly-revised European Resuscitation Guidelines implemented last year by The FA and St John Ambulance which aim to save the life of individuals with life-threatening injuries including cardio-respiratory and choking.

The FA team gave presentations on a wide variety of subjects, spanning basic anatomy and the more common injuries that an individual is likely to be confronted with on the football field, or at a training ground.

Participants were asked to differentiate between major and minor injury and safely manage the more common football injuries which are likely to occur.

“Tracy and Simon did an excellent job in delivering the courses, interacting with the students and adapting to an evolving programme,” said Mike Healy, Deputy Head of The FA’s Medical and Exercise Science Department.

“The feedback from the students was most complimentary.

“My general impression was that the course was very well received by CONCACAF and all the students. I fully expect greater demands for medical courses from this region.”