Published:
Michigan Cheer Coach to Be Honored for Saving Cheerleader's Life
IRVINE, Calif., June 16 /PRNewswire/ -- As a part of National Safety
Month, the National Cheer Safety Foundation has selected South Lyon High
School cheerleading coach Jen Combest to receive the First Annual Ashley Marie
Burns National Cheer Safety Award of Excellence. Ms. Combest was selected by
the NCSF Awards Committee after her heroic efforts helped save the life of 17
year old cheerleader Katie Martin on April 24, 2008 at a school sponsored
cheer clinic. After Katie went into cardiac arrest, Ms. Combest within moments
began CPR, summons for help from school officials who then called 911 and
continued CPR until police, fire and emergency personnel could arrive. Once on
the scene, emergency personnel used an AED to reestablish an effective heart
rhythm for Katie. Ms. Martin has had a remarkable recovery being able to
attend her high school graduation last Saturday.
"We are grateful to Jen and to everyone who played a role in saving
Katie's life. Jen is an amazing coach and an inspiration to young people. She
would have done the same thing for any of the cheerleaders. We could not be
more proud of the award the NCSF has given to Jen," replied Katie's mom, Donna
Martin after hearing about the honor.
Ashley Marie Burns' mother, Ruth Burns will present the award named in
honor of her daughter at theSouth Lyons Community Schools Board of Education
Meeting on June 16, 2008. Ashley Burns passed away on August 9, 2005 from
internal injuries sustained during an attempted double down from an arabesque
while cheering for the Medford High Mustangs. The NCSF named the award in
honor of Ashley Burns and her legacy.
"I am honored to present an award in honor of my daughter Ashley to Jen
Combest. Ashley would be so proud to have her name affiliated with such an
outstanding coach!" responded Ruth Burns ofMedford, MA.
In conjunction with the award, the National Cheer Safety Foundation
released the National Safety Committee's "Rehearsed Catastrophic Injury
Emergency Routine for Competitive Cheerleading Programs". The plan is a step
by step guide for cheer programs in case of a catastrophic injury. Parents,
coaches and school administrators can download a PDF version of the emergency
plan at http://www.nationalcheersafety.com free of charge.
"The award, Jen Combest and the emergency plan work together in harmony to
send a bold message to everyone involved in youth sports -- Being prepared for
a catastrophic injury is worth the money and the effort! Just ask the Martin
family," Kimberly Archie, Executive Director of the National Cheer Safety
Foundation.
The nation's premier cheerleading safety organization, the National Cheer
Safety Foundation (NCSF) is raising the bar in cheer safety awareness
throughoutthe United States and has working partnerships with the National
Center for Catastrophic Injury Research and the National Center for Sports
Safety. For more information on the only not-for-profit educational
organization for cheer parents, visit http://www.nationalcheersafety.com.
SOURCE National Cheer Safety Foundation
Copyright © 2009, PRNewswire
Copyright © 2009, NewsBlaze,
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