The Coaches' Room
GeneralMultiple / GeneralGeneral Coaching

First-aid kit looks full but half of it is years old

Asked by BJ_56
666 views 3 replies
Our team bag has plasters, bandages, cold packs and bits collected over several seasons. Nobody can say when it was last properly checked. Do clubs normally have a set inspection routine for first-aid kits and medical supplies rather than leaving it to the coach to notice something is missing on matchday?

VERIFIED COACH ANSWER

Verified Coach avatar
VERIFIED COACH RESPONSE

UEFA C Coach

Grassroots session design • 5v5 & 7v7 formats

Why don't we show coach names?
I’d want a scheduled check rather than a bag that slowly becomes a museum of old first-aid supplies. Someone at club or team level should be responsible for checking what is present, whether anything is damaged or out of date, and replacing used items. The first-aid kit should also match the setting. A training pitch with no clubhouse may need a different practical setup from a ground with a medical room. I would link the check to the wider emergency plan: where is the kit, who has access, where is the AED, and does everybody know that before the session? The coach should not discover on matchday that the instant cold pack has split or the only bandage was used three weeks ago. This is a good example of a small admin routine preventing a big problem. Put a date and name against the inspection and make it a normal club process.

COMMUNITY DISCUSSION

Join the football discussion. 3 replies

C

ChrissyD

Community Member

Cold packs were our issue. Bag looked full until we actually needed one and found the remaining two were damaged.
A

AishaHere

Community Member

Our kits are sealed with a dated checklist now. If something is used, the team manager marks it for replacement that day.
C

ClaireInEssex

Community Member

We put a monthly first-aid kit check on the same list as balls, bibs and goal anchors. It takes five minutes and removes the 'I thought someone else did it' problem.