Netball First Aid Kits

Netball is played across over 70 countries, with more than 20 million people participating worldwide. As with all popular sports, netball comes with its risks, and the incidence of injury among netball players is relatively high, even when compared with contact sports such as rugby and football.

Netball coaches and players need to take their physical training seriously to prepare their bodies for the demands of the game. Good technique is essential. Several preventative measures should be put in place to reduce the risk of injury in netball, and teams must have a qualified first aider on hand at all times. On top of this, it’s a legal requirement to keep a well-stocked netball first aid kit close by in the event of injury. 
As with all sports, netball coaches and club managers have a responsibility to their players. This article will cover the essentials, including England Netball’s first aid kit requirements, netball first aid kit essentials, injury prevention measures, and the requirements for first aid training in netball.

England Netball’s First Aid Kit Requirements

Whether your netball team players recreationally, at a grassroots club, or compete at an international elite level, it makes sense to have a well-stocked, quality netball first aid kit available at all times in the event of an injury medical emergency.
To ensure netballers are kept safe, England Netball, England’s official netball governing body, requires all qualified netball coaches to have up-to-date first aid training. To successfully achieve the England Netball Level 2 Coach qualification (or higher), netball coaches must complete safeguarding training and attend the First Aid at Work (FAW) or the Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) course, at Level 3 standard, providing valid certificates as proof. We cover more information about First Aid Qualifications for Netball on our blog.

Along with ensuring a qualified first aider is on hand to take care of netball players in the event of an injury, all UK netball clubs must meet the requirements of the British Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 with regards to first aid kits. Coaches, team managers, or responsible sports venue staff must complete a health and safety risk assessment that considers all the risks that netball players face during training, matches, and away games. This includes any other hazards concerning the club premises, such as unsafe equipment, ground conditions, fire safety, and clear signage. The completed risk assessment will help to indicate what’s needed in your first aid provisions and netball first aid kit contents. 
To be compliant, sports venues and netball clubs must have an appointed first aider on hand at all times and at least one well-stocked netball first aid kit readily available. While England Netball doesn’t specify exactly what is required in said first aid kit, most sports teams and clubs adhere to the following first aid kit guidelines from the British Red Cross and St John’s Ambulance. This article covers the most important first aid equipment for netball teams. Find a downloadable netball first aid kit checklist and more information on sports first aid kit essentials on our blog.

Along with ensuring a qualified first aider is on hand to take care of netball players in the event of an injury, all UK netball clubs must meet the requirements of the British Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 with regards to first aid kits. Coaches, team managers, or responsible sports venue staff must complete a health and safety risk assessment that considers all the risks that netball players face during training, matches, and away games. This includes any other hazards concerning the club premises, such as unsafe equipment, ground conditions, fire safety, and clear signage. The completed risk assessment will help to indicate what’s needed in your first aid provisions and netball first aid kit contents. 
To be compliant, sports venues and netball clubs must have an appointed first aider on hand at all times and at least one well-stocked netball first aid kit readily available. While England Netball doesn’t specify exactly what is required in said first aid kit, most sports teams and clubs adhere to the following first aid kit guidelines from the British Red Cross and St John’s Ambulance. This article covers the most important first aid equipment for netball teams. Find a downloadable netball first aid kit checklist and more information on sports first aid kit essentials on our blog.

Netball First Aid Kit Essentials

Whether your netball team is at school, a grassroots club, or at a competitive professional level, you are legally required to ensure that a well-stocked and suitably sized first aid kit is available to your team at all times, including when playing away.
All sports first aid kits should contain the following essentials ready to treat the most common emergencies, and your netball first aid kit should be no different. Look through the table below for the bare minimum that your kit should contain and the additional items that we recommend all netball teams make sure their netball first aid kit is stocked with.

In addition to these important first aid products, our expertly compiled sports first aid kit contains additional first aid essentials to cater to the most common injuries and medical emergencies that can occur in the sporting arena, including the most common injuries in netball.

The additional premium first aid equipment in this kit includes:

• First Aid Guidance Leaflet—For clear guidance on first aid basics, including CPR and bandaging techniques.
• Resusciade Face Shield—Protect yourself and the casualty while providing life-saving CPR. 

• Wound Closures/Sutures—Hold cuts and deeper wounds together to promote healing and reduce the chances of scarring.
• Gauze Swabs—Cushion and protect an open wound, or for blotting blood.
• Eye and Wound Wash Pods—Flush out injured eyes or open wounds.

• Zinc Oxide Tape—to support a strained or twisted joint. 
• Elastic Adhesive Bandages— To support strained or sprained joints or to hold dressings in place.
• Medical Freeze Spray—Spray over an area for cooling effects within seconds to provide cold therapy benefits.
• Clinical Waste Bags—Dispose of all used medical material, including gloves, soiled dressings and bandages, and wipes to maintain optimal hygiene.
• Petroleum Jelly—protect areas from chaffing and healing wounds from friction damage. 

Choose our premium sports medical kit for an even wider professional range of sports physio first aid equipment. Ideal for pitchside and treatment room, this medical kit contains all of the above essentials, with additional items to offer comprehensive care:

• Antiseptic Cream
• Fabric Strapping
• Hand sanitiser
• A trigger spray bottle
• Additional sizes of wound dressings, EAB bandages and low adherent dressings.

For professional netball teams competing at peak level, choose our sports medical kit for the ideal netball first aid kit to keep your team safe from serious injury. 
Junior netball teams would be best suited to our junior sports team first aid kit for the ideal junior netball first aid kit. It’s been put together by industry experts to cater to all younger team’s first aid needs.

Check out our blog for all the details on essential netball first aid kit contents, with a handy downloadable checklist.

Netball Safety Precautions

On top of ensuring you have a well-stocked quality netball first aid kit on hand in the event of an injury, there are essential precautions netball teams and coaches should take to prevent injury and keep everyone safe.

The most important precautions to take for netball safety are:

• Warming up and cooling down properly.
• Avoiding contact during play.
• Maintaining a safe playing environment.
• Coaching the right techniques, especially for jumping and landing safely.
• Physical preparation and maintaining high levels of fitness.
• Staying hydrated and cool.
• Wearing sunscreen and hats in bright conditions.
• Wearing the right safety gear, such as quality supportive footwear and protective taping and strapping.
• Modifying the rules and equipment for junior teams and minors. 

We cover essential netball safety practices to prevent injury in more detail on our blog.

Netball First Aid Training

Having a good understanding of the risks that come from playing netball, how to prevent serious netball injury, and the most important netball first aid kit equipment you need can significantly decrease the risk of injury and keep your players safe. However, when faced with a medical emergency on the court or during training, having the knowledge and skills achieved through a first aid qualification could save a life.

As we’ve discussed already, professional netball coaches are required by England Netball to hold first aid qualifications gained through First Aid at Work (FAW) or the Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) courses. They must keep them up to date, refreshing their certificates every three years at a minimum. Find out more about first aid courses for netball coaches on our blog.

First aid courses will provide coaches and designated first aiders with the training and skills to handle the following situations: 

• Recognising injury or illness in a player.
• Communication with the casualty and on-lookers.
• Recognising when a player is experiencing difficulty breathing.
• Treating asthma attacks and seizures.
• Performing CPR and using an automated external defibrillator (AED).
• Treating internal and external bleeding.
• Wound management.
• Treating muscle and joint injuries.
• Assessing and protecting broken bones.
• Evaluating and treating concussion and head injuries.

Learning to confidently and correctly provide these skills and competently use netball first aid kit equipment will enable you to overcome potentially life-threatening situations long enough for the emergency services to arrive on the scene and take over.