The department will conduct a seminar for its youth football and soccer coaches on dealing with sports injuries and recognizing the symptoms of concussions.
“Every year we have hundreds of youth playing football and soccer on our recreational teams, and the dangers of injuries, especially concussions, are something we cannot overlook,” said Dr. Norman C. Merrifield, director of the department. “We are very pleased to have Dr. Charles Dillard, a specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitations, traumatic brain injury and concussion, to help educate our staff and volunteers on this important topic this year.”
Dr. Dillard is a native of Richmond and an assistant professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU (CHoR). He currently serves as the medical director of CHoR’s Traumatic Brain Injury Program.
The seminar will be held on Saturday, Aug. 11, in the auditorium at the department’s Pine Camp Arts and Community Center, located at 4901 Old Brook Road, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
The department holds training seminars for its coaches, who are primarily community volunteers, every year, and all first-year coaches are certified by the National Youth Sports Coaches Association. Residents who have an interest in serving as a volunteer coach or assistant can contact the community center where they would like to volunteer or call the department at (804) 646-1175 for more information. A list of community centers can be found on the department’s website.
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