More on concussion injuries ...

freeagent

Six-man pro
My guess is that any school athletic program probably should have a policy concerning concussion injuries. And the template is basically the following which is starting to be adopted as law by a number of states ...

http://content.usatoday.net/dist/custom ... 4302.story

Roger Goodell urges governors to adopt youth concussion law
USA Today
May 23, 2010

NEW YORK (AP) — NFL commissioner Roger Goodell sent a letter to 44 governors urging them to pass a law similar to one in Washington state that protects young athletes from concussions.

The NFL said in an e-mail Sunday that Goodell's letter will be part of Dr. Richard Ellenbogen's testimony at Rep. John Conyers' forum on concussions in New York on Monday.

Ellenbogen treated Zackery Lystedt, the Washington youth who suffered a brain injury in 2006 after returning to a middle school football game following a concussion. His story prompted Washington to pass Lystedt's Law, which keeps young athletes from returning to play too soon. Other states have followed suit and adopted similar laws.

Ellenbogen and Dr. Hunt Batjer head the NFL's new Head, Neck and Spine Committee.

"The Center for Disease Control estimates that there may be as many as 3.8 million sports and recreation-related concussions in the United States each year," Goodell wrote. "These injuries are sustained by both boys and girls in numerous contact sports.

"Given our experience at the professional level, we believe a similar approach is appropriate when dealing with concussions in all youth sports. That is why the NFL and its clubs urge you to support legislation that would better protect your state's young athletes by mandating a more formal and aggressive approach to treatment of concussions."

The Lystedt law contains three essential elements:

—Athletes, parents and coaches must be educated about the dangers of concussions each year.

—If a young athlete is suspected of having a concussion, he/she must be removed from a game or practice and not be permitted to return to play.

—A licensed health care professional must clear the young athlete to return to play in the subsequent days or weeks.

"We would urge that similar legislation be adopted in your state," Goodell added. "We believe that sports and political leaders can help raise awareness of these dangerous injuries and better ensure that they are treated in the proper and most effective way. Young athletes, as well as parents, coaches and school officials in your state, will thank you for taking a stand on this important issue."

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Another link to the issue -- notes that only 42% of high schools have athletic trainers on staff

http://www.training-conditioning.com/20 ... 97e9dfce0d
 
TAPPS will require any athlete with a concussion injury to sit out until given medical clearance to play starting this season.
 
coachpeters":1zdd9xof said:
powerful story Edd Burleson had on Friday about his experience as a coach on concussions...

Missed it ... but I've heard Vance Jones tell a story on how he thinks he may have lost a state title because he refused to put in a kid in the state title game because he had a concussion injury.

Bryan mentioned that he's heard of several instances in college sports where cheerleaders were carted off the field for concussion injuries. And as I've said, any padding in a cheerleader's uniform wasn't placed there for safety purposes, if you know what I mean.

I have a stinkin' feeling that EVERY school needs a WRITTEN concussion policy -- for all sports and events (including cheerleading; which by the way has more injuries per capita in NCAA, and I think that may include football, but it could be #2) -- and stick with it. Partly because it's the right thing to do, partly because we're gonna start seeing legislation (some states have already done so), and partly because there are lots of lawyers looking for easy money.
 
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