A study conducted by the Korey Stringer Institute puts Hawaii in the top 10 in the nation in safety.
The study grades states on ability to protect athletes from from potentially life-threatening conditions, including heat stroke.
North Carolina, Kentucky and Massachusetts top the list with Iowa, California and Colorado bringing up the rear. Those scores were based on a state meeting best practice guidelines addressing the four major causes of sudden death for that age group: cardiac arrest, traumatic head injuries, exertional heat stroke and exertional sickling occurring in athletes with sickle cell trait.
The National Federation of High Schools was not happy with the rankings, releasing a statement that read, in part, “Unfortunately, the Korey Stringer Institute has proclaimed itself as judge and jury of heat-illness prevention and other safety issues by ranking the 51 NFHS-member state high school associations – these very associations that have been promoting risk-minimization precautions in their schools’ athletic programs for many more years than the seven-year existence of the KSI.”
Hawaii could have graded even higher except it received only eight points out of 20 in having Emergency Action Plans.
Here is Hawaii’s complete report card
2017 High School Sports Safety Policy Rankings
1. North Carolina, 78.75
2. Kentucky, 71.13
3. Massachusetts, 67.40
4. New Jersey, 67.03
5. South Dakota, 60.58
6. Missouri, 60.00
6. Washington, 60.00
8. Hawaii, 59.13
8. Wisconsin, 59.13
10. Georgia, 56.98
11. Arkansas, 56.03
12. New York, 55.75
13. Mississippi, 55.25
14. West Virginia, 54.33
15. Oregon, 53.59
16. Illinois, 53.38
17. Tennessee, 52.73
18. Arizona, 52.00
19. Texas, 50.80
20. District of Columbia, 50.55
21. Virginia, 49.40
22. Pennsylvania, 49.00
23. Florida, 48.25
24. New Mexico, 48.08
25. Alabama, 47.20
26. Maine, 47.10
27. Rhode Island, 46.73
28. Indiana, 46.00
29. Nevada, 45.00
30. Utah, 44.00
31. Ohio, 43.93
32. Delaware, 43.73
33. Alaska, 43.40
34. Vermont, 42.38
35. Louisiana, 41.00
36. Maryland, 40.63
37. Oklahoma, 40.50
38. Connecticut, 40.01
39. Idaho, 40.00
40. South Carolina, 39.80
41. Michigan, 38.73
42. North Dakota, 38.00
43. Nebraska, 37.75
44. New Hampshire, 36.00
45. Kansas, 35.75
46. Wyoming, 35.00
47. Minnesota, 33.35
48. Montana, 33.25
49. Iowa, 33.00
50. California, 26.00
51. Colorado, 23.00
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