Dear Coaches and Teachers:

Coaches and teachers play a huge role in the life of our children. Teachers can be life coaches, and coaches can be teachers for life.

Our children spend a great amount of time in school and also play sports.

During this time away from home, we as parents put trust in you and hope that our children are in good hands and are safe.

Students and players often develop a strong relationship to their teachers and coaches. They look to them and definitely can be more open to what the teacher and coach says than what their own parents tell them at home.

This is why I find it so important for you as teachers and coaches to be aware of the dangers of the choking activity. It is crucial that you learn the signs, symptoms and also know enough about the danger to be able to explain to your student and player why it is not a game. Education for you is KEY and I'm urging you to make sure you read about it, go the websites and hopefuly attend one of our presentations on the topic.

In the ideal world, I picture every coach in every sport and every teacher in every school to speak to their students and players about this. At the begining of the season, beginning of the school semester, at parent meetings, conferences and anywhere else you can get the attention of the people around you.

Parents try to educate their children at home and make sure they are safe and go out into the world well prepared. If the teachers and coaches our children spend time with can reinforce this education, we will be one step further in the fight against dangerous activities our youth chooses to participate in.

I urge you to take action, take charge and be proactive for the safety of our children! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Sincerely,

Petra Verhoeven-Jordan (Luca's Mom)