NFL, PFEMS and CFEMS Equipment Managers Kick-Off Nation’s First Director of Athletic Safety Program
RALEIGH, NC, July 13, 2026: ProTect Athletics, in partnership with ProTrain College, announced the successful launch of the first instructor-led cohort of the Director of Athletic Safety℠ (DAS) credential. This virtual program marks the kickoff of the nation’s first professional safety certification designed specifically for the sport safety ecosystem.
The advanced training pathway, delivered through the ProTrain College platform beginning July 13, 2026, is led by Jerry D. Fife, M.Ed. The groundbreaking initiative enrolled 40+ members of NFL teams in the Professional Football Equipment Managers Society (PFEMS) and representation from College Football Equipment Managers Society (CFEMS). PFEMS is the preeminent professional organization representing the experts responsible for the safety, preparation, and care of elite professional football players, and CFEMS represents college experts.
“This is not a training seminar,” said Jerry D. Fife, M.Ed., COO and Co-Founder of ProTect Athletics. “This is the beginning of a professional credential that changes what it means to be responsible for an athlete’s safety. PFEMS and NFL members are among the most prepared sports safety professionals in the world. The fact that they are our first cohort tells you everything about where this credential is going.”
What is the Director of Athletic Safety (DAS)?
The DAS credential is a five-course professional certification pathway developed by ProTect Athletics. It is offered in partnership with ProTrain College, a nationally recognized collegiate partner providing CEU credits toward academic degrees.
The curriculum establishes a comprehensive “Safety Playbook” across five essential courses:
- Course 1: Athletic Safety & Risk Management: The entry point to the DAS credential. Twelve modules establishing the role, the risk management framework, OSHA compliance, emergency response, injury prevention, documentation, and safety culture: everything the Director of Athletic Safety is accountable for before the first whistle blows.
- Course 2: Anatomy & Physiology for the Sport Safety Professional: Eleven body systems, twelve modules, and one professional standard: the DAS who completes this course does not guess at injury descriptions; they use anatomical precision as a career-defining skill. Every incident report, every referral, and every conversation with medical staff depends on what is learned here.
- Course 3: Kinesiology, Biomechanics & Ergonomics for the Sport Safety Professional: Injury is mechanical before it is medical. DAS-3 builds the biomechanical intelligence that transforms how the DAS reads a field: from watching bodies move to predicting which structures are at risk, why forces cause failure, and how to build the systems that stop it from happening.
- Course 4: Risk, Hazard, Job Safety & Root Cause Analysis: DAS-4 is where the Director of Athletic Safety becomes a safety analyst. Building on the foundational risk management framework of DAS-1, this course develops the advanced diagnostic skills that separate reactive safety programs from proactive ones. Participants master Job Hazard Analysis, Root Cause Analysis using the 5 Whys as the primary diagnostic method, OSHA professional-level compliance systems, data-driven safety dashboards, and the legal standards for defensible documentation.
- Course 5: Driving Effective Change in Sport Safety: The capstone of the Director of Athletic Safety credential program. This course moves the DAS from practitioner to leader, developing the stakeholder communication, policy development, data advocacy, and regulatory engagement skills needed to drive lasting institutional change. Participants learn to present safety data to administrators who do not speak safety, build policy frameworks that survive leadership transitions, and engage regulators as a credentialed professional. Upon completion of all 12 modules, the DAS credential is awarded.
The DAS works directly alongside Certified Athletic Trainers to complete the overall player protection picture. While Athletic Trainers focus on the clinical treatment and medical response to injuries, the DAS acts as a systemic safety professional. The DAS uncovers root causes, protocol gaps, and environmental hazards to build preventive safety frameworks.
The credential is currently mapping toward formal accreditation through the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA). The NCCA serves as the absolute gold standard for professional and personnel certification in the United States.
“ProTect Athletics and ProTrain share a commitment to the highest standards of professional education,” said Betty Lucas-Gardner, CEO/President, ProTrain. “Delivering the DAS credential to PFEMS and NFL members through our platform is a landmark moment for professional sport safety education in this country.”
Mike Schroder, Provost for ProTrain College, stated, “We are deeply committed to delivering credential programs that pair rigid professional standards with high-quality delivery. The DAS curriculum was engineered with the highest level of academic rigor to ensure these elite equipment managers are equipped with evidence-based safety protocols. We are proud to provide a rigorous academic foundation for the next generation of athletic safety leaders and elevate their profession.”
“Plain and simple, one saved workman’s comp case can offset the cost of a DAS professional’s job and/or training.” Brendan Burger, Director of Equipment, Los Angeles Rams & President of PFEMS
Industry Impact and Professional Validation
Across every level of sport, including youth, scholastic, collegiate, and professional levels, athlete safety demands more than a clinical response after injuries occur. The enrollment of 40+ NFL, PFEMS, and CFEMS professionals signals the industry’s readiness to formalize a standard that has long been missing.
Participants in the elite inaugural cohort are already praising this standardized professional path.
“The DAS is an excellent opportunity to separate myself from the rest of the department,” said Richard Killian II, Assistant Equipment Manager for the New Orleans Saints. “The professors are very knowledgeable about the information presented and have a very fun and interactive way of getting the information through to everyone.”
“It has always been wild to me that I am responsible for fitting the helmets of our hundred million dollar assets with no football-specific certification or credential verifying that I know what I’m doing. I think we are taking the first steps towards that recognizable credential through this class.” Collin Peterson, Assistant Equipment Manager, Jacksonville Jaguars
To learn more about the custom training sequence, core course enrollment, or future cohort dates, visit protrain.edu or protectathletics.org.
About ProTect Athletics
ProTect Athletics (Athletic Safety Organization dba ProTect Athletics) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to athlete safety through professional education, credentialing, and systemic safety standards. ProTect develops the national DAS professional standard, the Youth Safety Officer (YSO) certification, and state-compliant Sport Safety Education (SSE) programs. ProTection Beyond the Game.
About ProTrain College
ProTrain College is a nationally recognized collegiate partner providing instructor-led professional development, CEU credit pathways, and degree-applicable continuing education. Nationally accredited through Middle States (MSA-CESS) and a licensed NC Proprietary School under the North Carolina Community College System. ProTrain serves as the institutional delivery partner for the DAS credential program.
