HAYS CISD ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT AND THSCA BRING OPIOID REDUCTION PROGRAM TO THE COMMUNITY
“Coaches vs Overdoses” program designed to combat the opioid epidemic and educate parents and students.
San Marcos (September 11, 2023) –Hays Consolidated Independent School District is partnering with the Texas High School Coaches Association and to launch the Coaches vs Overdoses program, designed to combat the opioid epidemic, on September 14 and 15 to the parents and students of Hays CISD. They will be the first district in the state to roll out the program.
The Coaches vs Overdose program includes educational material that will be delivered electronically to parents and students and the distribution of a simple and convenient drug disposal tool at the district’s varsity football games. Studies show teens are much less likely (69%) to misuse prescription drugs if educated about the dangers. This program aims to curb the opioid epidemic that is devastating Texas communities and destroying young lives.
“Coaches across the state are searching for a way to get involved in the fight against opioids,” said Joe Martin, Executive Director of THSCA. “Our motto is ‘Helping Coaches Help Kids,’ and the Coaches vs Overdose program helps our coaches by providing a tangible tool to offer the communities that they serve. Coaches are on the frontline of this fight and willing to help their students and athletes in every way possible.”
Hays CISD will launch the Coaches vs Overdoses program at the Lehman vs Seguin varsity football game at Bob Shelton Stadium Thursday, September 14 at 7:00 PM. They will also distribute the drug disposal packets at the Johnson vs Del Valle varsity football game at Bob Shelton Stadium Friday, September 15 at 7:30 PM. They plan on implementing the program later in the season at a varsity home football game for Hays High School.
“At Hays CISD, we are blessed and honored to partner with the THSCA to launch the Coaches vs. Overdoses program in Texas this fall” said Lance Moffett, Hays CISD Athletic Director. “Tragically, our district is far too familiar with the realities of overdoses and this problem. If the distribution of the ‘Prevention Playbook’ and the destruction packets through our programs
and at our games can help our community become more aware of the issue and actually help dispose of unused opioids, as we believe it can, then we are proud to partner in the program and serve as the pilot district.”
Nationwide, adolescent drug overdose deaths nearly doubled between 2010 and 2020. In Texas, an average of five people died daily from opioids in 2022. In a survey of teens, 70% say that their home medicine cabinets are their first and/or ongoing source of acquiring drugs. These facts, along with the overwhelming number of personal stories of families destroyed by opioids, led THSCA to develop a plan to help combat the drug crisis that is directly hurting students and athletes.
The THSCA plans to launch the Coaches vs Overdose program statewide in October in coordination with Youth Substance Use Prevention Month, Texas Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Month, and DEA’s National Drug Take Back Day (October 28, 2023). This year’s pilot program will include 125-150 schools throughout Texas that will participate in the program.
About the Texas High School Coaches Association
The Texas High School Coaches Association (THSCA) is Texas high school coaches’ principal advocate and leadership organization. The THSCA provides the highest quality representation, education, and services to Texas High School coaches and affiliate members by enhancing the professionalism of coaches and the schools they represent. The mission statement is simply this: To help and serve Texas high school coaches as they work to help and serve student-athletes. “HELPING COACHES HELP KIDS.” For more information on THSCA, visit www.thsca.com
About Texas High School Coaches Education Foundation
The mission of the Texas High School Coaches Education Foundation is to develop funds from a broad range of donors to provide professional education programs that will strengthen, reinforce, and enhance professionalism in high school coaches throughout the state of Texas. These programs provide instructional material and training in character development to coaches in Texas at both the high school and middle school levels. They can directly impact the lives of over 1.5 million student-athletes each year. The two established events are the Texas Coaches Leadership Summit and the R.O.C.K. Mentoring Workshop.
Information Source: https://healthdata.