Radcliffe Olympic FC has become the first football club in Nottingham to introduce in-house cardiac screening for its players, giving young grassroots footballers access to ECG testing at their own club.
The initiative, delivered in partnership with Cardio Logic, got underway on Tuesday 25 August, when 28 players aged between 12 and 17 took part in the first screening session.
Players aged 12 and over can now access ECG screening at Radcliffe Olympic FC, with the tests carried out at the club by members of its coaching team who have received specialist training.
The ECG results are then remotely reviewed by a UK consultant cardiologist, with a report provided to the player or their parent.
The first session was supported by Faye from Cardio Logic, who trained Radcliffe Olympic’s U14s and U18s coach Dom Baker,
along with Female Development Officer and Men’s coach Marie-Claire Page, to carry out the screenings.
For the club, the initiative represents an important step in its commitment to player welfare and reflects a belief that cardiac screening should be accessible to grassroots players, rather than being limited to professional and elite academies.
Cardio Logic states that one in 260 young people potentially has a life-threatening heart condition, highlighting the importance of awareness and screening.
The idea was initially driven by Dom, who helped bring the initiative to the club. Following the success of the first screening, the club is already preparing for a second screening session.
Radcliffe Olympic FC hopes the initiative will help make cardiac screening more accessible to young players while keeping player welfare at the heart of the club’s approach.
Marie-Claire said: “The club was particularly proud to be leading the way in Nottingham and taking such a proactive approach to the health and wellbeing of its players.”
For more information about the club, please visit the Facebook page: www.facebook.com/RadcliffeOlympicFC