Branford High School (BHS) is the recipient of the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) Safe Sports School award for its athletic programs. The award champions safety and recognizes secondary schools that have met the recommended standards to improve safety in sports. The award reinforces the importance of providing the best level of care, injury prevention, and treatment.

BHS's Certified Athletic Trainer Erin Clark along with her Care and Prevention of Athletic Injuries Class put together a portfolio consisting of multiple components of how BHS handles and cares for athletic injuries and athletic emergency management. BHS qualified for this award by having a full time athletic trainer on staff who implemented emergency action plans for sports venues and who provides sports medicine services to the student athletes.

Athletic trainers are health care professionals who specialize in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of injuries and sport­related illnesses. They prevent and treat chronic musculoskeletal injuries from sports, physical and occupational activity, and provide immediate care for acute injuries. Athletic trainers offer a continuum of care that is unparalleled in health care.

Erin Clark remains committed to keeping Branford's student athletes safe during team practices, and games serving as Branford's Certified Athletic Trainer, which helps, provide the highest safety standards for our student athletes.