The Jordan McNair Foundation Launches Community Event to Empower Student-Athletes.
The Jordan McNair Foundation Launches Community Event to Empower Student-Athletes.
On June 5th a Health & Wellness Clinic honoring the late Jordan McNair will take place in Maryland to educate student-athletes, and parents, on safety while participating in sports.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
BALTIMORE, MD - (May 18, 2021) - The Jordan McNair Foundation was created to honor the life of the late Jordan McNair, a University of Maryland football player who died at the age of 19 in June 2018 after he suffered exertional heatstroke during a team workout. The June 5th event pays further tribute to McNair by helping prevent further tragedies through proactive education.
Recently, the Jordan McNair Safe and Fair Play Act were passed in the Maryland Senate and House of Delegates. The Act gives athletes the right to unionize and collectively bargain over issues related to health and safety. On May 18th, the Jordan McNair Safe and Fair Play Act was signed by Gov. Larry Hogan.
“Prevention of injuries is paramount. We have always heard, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. We cannot put a value on student-athlete health and safety. It must be part of our plans, our practice, our being. The ability to identify and appropriately treat injuries in a timely manner can prevent sudden death — especially avoidable deaths,” said Dr. Rod Walters, Chairman of the TJMF Medical Advisory Board. As a follow-up, Jordan’s father, Martin, has noted “To demonstrate the Foundation's commitment to safety and prevention, The Jordan McNair Foundation developed a Medical Advisory Board made up of experts in the area of sports medicine, orthopedics, and strength and conditioning. Their expertise will help guide the Foundation in the right direction using pure research and science.”
The June 5th event will take place at McDonogh School in Owings Mills, Maryland from 8am to 4:30pm. The first half of the day is dedicated to ages 7-12, while the last half of the day will focus on students ages 13-18. A registration page is available on the Foundation’s website. The cost for this event is $20 per child and parents may attend sessions for free.
“For all sports, achieving personal goals and claiming sweet victory requires training hard and playing even harder. But when athletes push themselves too hard, they risk injury that can make them unable to play the game they love. That's why sports safety and injury prevention is so important. The environment children play in (e.g., heat, protective ground surface, properly maintained equipment); proper safety equipment (e.g., helmets, padding); supervision; physical check-ups; and regular hydration are just a few of the factors that should be considered to prevent injuries to young adults while they are playing sports.” said Dr. Yvette Rooks, Head Team Physician, University of Maryland
The Jordan McNair Foundation’s goal is to diminish the number of heat-related deaths that occur in student-athletes. The foundation also sponsors programs aimed at community involvement and engagement. The June 5th event is one of the many efforts by the Foundation to protect athletes and create assurances that they have more rights when it comes to their namesake, their health, and their ability to continue to obtain a fair education.
Members of the media are invited to attend this event and to speak with Jordan McNair’s father, Martin McNair, upon qualified request. Credential requests may be submitted by utilizing the information below. More information on this event, as well as the various efforts and media assets by the foundation, may be accessed here: The Jordan McNair Foundation
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Tonya L. Moore
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tonya.moore@tlmpr.com