Just like the training staff of the Jaguars, high school athletic trainers around the First Coast have had to raise their disinfection game this season to compete against COVID-19 and keep schools sports up and running. In late October, courtesy of a grant from Jaguars players and the Jaguars Foundation, they got a helping hand in the form of a new Clorox Total 360 system to mitigate the spread of contagious germs in their facilities. 

"Our Jaguars players know firsthand about the benefits of youth sports, which is why they joined the Jaguars Foundation in this effort to keep school athletic programs clean, safe and open to students throughout these unprecedented times," said Peter Racine, senior vice president of the Jaguars Foundation and community impact. "The Clorox Total 360 is a system we're using here in our own locker room, and we're glad to help provide access to this same technology throughout Duval County Public Schools. We hope it will benefit them now and in the future, ensuring our kids can continue to stay active, compete and reap the rewards of school sport participation."

The Clorox system pairs an electrostatic sprayer with a portfolio of disinfectants and sanitizers to ensure all surfaces, even those hard-to-reach, difficult-to-clean areas, are properly treated. It is up to 75 percent faster and treats up to 300 sq. ft. per minute. Athletic trainers will check out the Clorox Total 360 directly from the Jacksonville Sports Medicine Program (JSMP) and be able to use this product for disinfection monthly. Athletic Trainers outside of the Duval County Public Schools are also encouraged to contact the JSMP to access this system to use within their facilities as availability permits.

"While COVID-19 has heightened our awareness and sensitivity to contagious germs, we have long been challenged with keeping our facilities as clean as possible, especially within a high school athletic complex," expressed Robert Sefcik, licensed athletic trainer and Executive Director of the Jacksonville Sports Medicine Program. "The Clorox Total 360 System will step-up our game and become a major tool we turn to as we continue through this year and into the future within our school programs."

A partnership between the Jaguars Foundation, Wolfson Children's Hospital, Brooks Rehabilitation, Duval County Public Schools, Jacksonville University and Florida Blue, Project 17 originally launched in July 2015. 

The program set a goal to place full-time, certified athletic trainers at all 17 high schools in the Duval County Public School (DCPS) system by 2020 and succeeded by crossing the goal line a full year ahead of schedule on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2019.