Throughout North Florida, you will see children playing organized baseball, football, soccer, basketball, and other sports year round.   With our warm weather and abundance of public sports fields and complexes, our children have so many opportunities to play recreational and competitive sports.   While there are so many positives associated with youth sports, there are also many risks to the athletes.  Safety training and development should be part of every youth sports program no matter the age or competitive level. Meet Bob Sefcik who is certainly doing his part to serve the community and the best interests of student athletes in North Florida and beyond.

Bob Sefcik became the Executive Director of the Jacksonville Sports Medicine Program, a non-profit community health care coalition focused on youth sports injury prevention in 2006. Under his leadership, this program has become known as a leading advocate for sports injury prevention in the North Florida region.   Currently, this program partners with the Duval County Public Schools, the Nassau County Public Schools as well as having close relationships with many other programs throughout the region. 

JSMP serves to facilitate high quality relationships with local athletic trainers, team physicians, and other sports medicine providers through educational events and promotion of best practices.  Several committees and work groups have been generated from this organization including the Northeast Florida Regional Sports Concussion Task Force, which has contributed many components to the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) for inclusion into statewide policy. 

He serves the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) as the Chairman of the Sports Medicine Advisory Committee and also Chairs the subcommittee on hydration and acclimatization while serving on the concussion subcommittee.  As an adjunct professor at the University of North Florida and Jacksonville University, he frequently lectures and leads discussion groups on sports safety and education.   He is currently licensed as an athletic trainer in both Florida and Georgia.

On any given day in North Florida, you will hear the cheers and applause for the youth athletes.  Whether it is a home run, goal, 3 pointer, or touchdown, parents are there on the sidelines cheering on their children and the team.  Certainly, a great play and that extra effort are worthy of praise.   It is also important that we applaud, praise, and thank the coaches, league organizers, and, yes, the athletic trainers like Bob Sefcik who are on the sidelines and behind the scenes to make the sporting world safer for the children.  Of course, the safety of the children should be a paramount concern for all people participating in or connected to youth sports. 

Bob and his wife, Jill, reside in St. Augustine.  Their children are extremely active in athletic programs at St. Augustine High School as well as The Florida Elite Soccer Academy and Jacksonville Academy of Gymnastics.  Their oldest daughter attends Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia. The Good Deed Brigade salutes Bob Sefcik for his work in the community and his daily efforts to make a difference in youth sports safety.