EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings are partnering with the NFL and TRIA Orthopaedic to ensure that every public high school in Minneapolis and St. Paul will have an athletic trainer on the sideline for football games and practices this fall.
The Vikings announced the $50,000 grant on Monday. The grant, which is split by the Vikings and the NFL, will give every football program in those school districts a certified athletic trainer. TRIA will also conduct neurocognitive baseline testing for concussion management and offer ACL injury prevention programs.
Vikings trainer Eric Sugarman says the initiative is aimed at preventing injuries and helping players who do get hurt recover from those injuries.
The Vikings and Bears are the first two teams to use the program, but the NFL says three others have applied and another 10 have expressed interest.
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