The AST Institute (Athletic Safety Training Institute or ASTI) is a Washington state organization.  ASTI was launched with our mission and goals in mind to create responsible injury prevention tools and techniques for athletes.  We are doing that via research, education, instruction, and certification for coaches and trainers. 

 

Our training methodologies and techniques can enhance performance and reduce injury in all types of athletes; young or adult, professional or amateur, collegiate or Pee Wee sport. ASTI plans to offer our training techniques and programs to all athletes as we believe that every person deserves the highest quality of life.  We cannot prevent all injuries, but we need to adjust our expectations that injury just 'comes with playing the game'. 

 

Because of the epidemic in youth sports injuries in the past 15 years, the AST Institute has decided to initially target training young athletes because with early injury they may end up experiencing a life-time of pain and worse.  However, we are happy to consider requests to train adult groups and teams at this early stage.

 

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

The AST Institute is working to develop sustainable relationships within the governmental, medical, educational and technology sectors. We recognize that it will take active participation across these various disciplines to develop the utmost in injury prevention methodologies, training techniques, early detection and diagnosis, certification and ongoing education and equipment / technology. 

 

EDUCATION

 

Concussion prevention has been taking the media spotlight, most recently with Chris Borland of the 49er's decision to retire at the tender age of 24 due to his personal study of head trauma and the ongoing effects.  However, the subject of youth sports injury or even adult sports injury has hardly been broadcasted on mainstream media.  And yet, the medical community is active in their discussion around the issue and how to treat these injuries.  Without the proper public education, there has not been enough groundswell to help fund and develop prevention programs that can do more than what we have previously had available, if any at all.

 

Because of this gap in education and funding, the AST Institute takes a stand that it is our responsibility and duty to offer education to the press, parents, coaches, trainers, teams, etc.  We will continue to get the message out that there are better and more responsible ways to train our athletes and that we do not have to accept injuries as a part of participating in sports.

 

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