The Charter School of Educational Excellence (CSEE) has been nationally recognized for its success in preventing youth sports injuries, earning praise from the Aspen Institute’s Project Play and the National ACL Injury Coalition.
Led by Athletic Director Mike DeSimone and PE Teacher/Athletic Trainer Patrick Kilcarr, CSEE implemented a neuromuscular training program inspired by the Hospital for Special Surgery’s Neuro-dynamic Warmup. This evidence-based routine focuses on enhancing stability, balance, and movement mechanics to reduce the risk of injury.
“The Neuro-dynamic warm-up is now part of how we do things here,” DeSimone told Project Play. “Athletes, coaches and families are learning on a daily basis… and feedback is provided by coaches trained three times per year.”
Before launching the program, CSEE reported three ACL injuries. Since adopting the warm-up in 2018, they haven’t had a single case—an impressive feat for any youth sports program.
Several strategies contributed to this success:
Leadership Commitment: DeSimone’s philosophy of doing “whatever is best for the kids” helped create a safety-first culture.
Ongoing Coach Training: Coaches receive quarterly professional development and attend summer sport safety workshops.
Data-Driven Decisions: CSEE tracks injury metrics to validate program effectiveness and keep stakeholders engaged.
Smart Rollout: The program began with willing coaches, ensuring buy-in and smooth integration across teams.
As ACL injuries continue to rise among youth athletes nationwide, CSEE’s approach offers a model for schools everywhere. The full case study is available through the Aspen Institute’s Project Play website.