AD Risk Management & Mitigation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When an athletic director conducts a risk audit, what is the PRIMARY goal of identifying hazard frequency versus hazard severity?
- To calculate insurance premiums accurately
- To prioritize which risks to address first based on likelihood and impact (Correct answer)
- To satisfy accreditation requirements
- To document incidents for legal defense
Correct answer: To prioritize which risks to address first based on likelihood and impact
Mapping frequency against severity creates a risk matrix that helps ADs prioritize mitigation efforts toward the highest-impact threats.
Question 2: A lightning detection system alerts staff during an outdoor track meet. Under NATA and NFHS guidelines, what is the required minimum wait time after the LAST lightning strike before resuming activity?
- 15 minutes
- 20 minutes
- 30 minutes (Correct answer)
- 45 minutes
Correct answer: 30 minutes
NATA and NFHS guidelines require a 30-minute wait after the last observed lightning strike before resuming outdoor athletic activity.
Question 3: An athletic director discovers that a coach has been allowing athletes to practice during an active heat advisory without mandatory water breaks. This situation represents which type of risk category?
- Financial risk
- Reputational risk
- Participant safety risk (Correct answer)
- Facility infrastructure risk
Correct answer: Participant safety risk
Denying adequate hydration during heat advisories directly threatens athlete health and falls squarely in the participant safety risk category.
Question 4: Which document formally outlines the procedures an athletic program will follow to minimize liability and protect participants from foreseeable harm?
- Booster club bylaws
- Risk management plan (Correct answer)
- Facilities use agreement
- Athletic handbook acknowledgment
Correct answer: Risk management plan
A risk management plan is the formal document that identifies hazards, assigns responsibilities, and outlines mitigation procedures for an athletic program.
Question 5: Under the legal concept of 'assumption of risk,' which condition must be present for the defense to be valid in an athletic injury lawsuit?
- The athlete must be 18 or older
- The risk must be inherent to the sport and the participant must have been aware of it (Correct answer)
- A written waiver must have been signed
- The injury must have occurred during competition, not practice
Correct answer: The risk must be inherent to the sport and the participant must have been aware of it
Assumption of risk requires that the risk be inherent to the sport and that the participant knowingly and voluntarily accepted that risk.
Question 6: An athletic director is reviewing contracts with third-party event vendors. Which clause specifically transfers financial liability for certain claims from the school to the vendor?
- Indemnification clause (Correct answer)
- Force majeure clause
- Arbitration clause
- Liquidated damages clause
Correct answer: Indemnification clause
An indemnification clause requires one party (the vendor) to compensate the other (the school) for losses arising from the vendor's actions or negligence.
Question 7: What is the purpose of a 'near-miss' reporting system in athletic risk management?
- To penalize coaches for unsafe practices
- To capture incidents that could have caused harm in order to prevent future injuries (Correct answer)
- To meet NCAA compliance documentation requirements
- To calculate workers' compensation adjustments
Correct answer: To capture incidents that could have caused harm in order to prevent future injuries
Near-miss reporting identifies hazards before they cause actual injury, enabling proactive corrective action and a stronger safety culture.
AD Risk Management & Mitigation 2
When an athletic director conducts a risk audit, what is the PRIMARY goal of identifying hazard frequency versus hazard severity?