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- The Black Patch -
Preparing for Teammate Death

When the unthinkable happens... 

Teammate catastrophic injury and death occur far more often than we like to think. 

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Have you and your team prepared for losing an athlete and teammate? Do you have the proper medical team, administrative staff, and policies in place to protect your teammates and department? 

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YOU ARE NOT IN THIS ALONE. Based on my personal experiences, I am here to help. 

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Together we can help you PREPARE for a catastrophic event, IMPLIMENT your plan if an event arises, and HEAL after an event.  

Dr. Sara Marie's TEDx talk on
Preparing for Teammate Death

How We Can Help

You are not in this alone. With over 20 years of athletics experience, and multiple crisis management experiences, we can help you prepare your team(s) and department to handle the unthinkable injury or death of a teammate and athlete. We are here to help you feel prepared and empowered.

Lacrosse Team

Team and Department Preparedness Evaluation

A full evaluation of your team(s) and department. Meetings with administrators, coaches, and other pertinent staff. The review provides insight into possible liabilities or gaps in your crisis preparedness.

Soccer World Cup

Mock Drills
and Scenarios

Part of preparedness is practicing your plan. This is an opportunity to run through a mock scenario with full observation from our team. Afterward, we will debrief to identify any liabilities or gaps in your plan.

Swim Coach

Preparing
to Heal

Trainings for your team, coaches, and staff on building an environment that supports healing and grieving. These trainings address overall well-being, emotional and mental safety, and more.

Do you need support? 

Please fill out your information here and we will contact you for a FREE support call.

Dr. Sara Beaudry-Wiltse

Tel: 801-830-0188

Our 
Story

They taught me about Commotio Cordis in school. They said it would never happen. Yet here I stood, outside the emergency room after my athlete died. As a new athletic trainer, I was trying to wrap my head around giving him his last breath, being told our teammates were in the waiting room, and grasping for how I would tell them we lost one of our family...

The next couple of days were a whirlwind of team meetings, press conferences, memorials, and more. I worked with the team management and staff to care for the rest of our team the best we could. Everyone needed something, yet hardly anyone knew exactly what.

Two years later I would receive a call that our assistant coach had been murdered. Again we found ourselves thrust into telling the team, news interviews, memorials, and eventually grieving. 

All those years ago I longed for someone to guide us through this emotional process of grieving and eventually healing. After over 20 years in athletics as an athletic trainer, team manager, and program director, my goal now is to support you through a process in the ways I wish I would have been supported. Ideally, we prepare ahead of time so that if, and when, this happens to you and your team, you have the support and resources you need.

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