We can help athletes stay active and healthy by knowing the facts about concussion and when it is safe for athletes to return to play.
Heads Up: What you and your athletes need to know about concussion
Materials suggested below can be found at the CDC's Heads Up: Concussion in Youth Sports
The following Free Online Concussion Training Courses have been approved by Nebraska's Chief Medical Officer for the Coaches Training:
Nebraska state-approved training for coaches is available free online.
Heads Up Online Training Course
Get prepared for the new season in less than 30 minutes
Heads Up: Concussion in Youth Sports is a free, online course available to coaches, parents, and others helping to keep athletes safe from concussion. It features interviews with leading experts, dynamic graphics and interactive exercises, and compelling storytelling to help you recognize a concussion and know how to respond if you think that your athlete might have a concussion. Once you complete the training and quiz, you can print out a certificate, making it easy to show your league or school you are ready for the season.
Free concussion training for coaches
A new e-learning program has been specifically designed to help coaches better recognize and manage concussion. ACTive: Athletic Concussion Training™ using Interactive Video Education, is now available free of charge.
This 20-minute interactive training program was based on the recommendations of the National Athletic Trainers' Association and the International Conference on Concussion in Sport.
NFHS—National Federation of High Schools
- Concussion in Sports—What You Need to Know
Sports Safety International
- ConcussionWise (Courses for Coaches, Athletes, Parents, Athletic Trainers, Physicians, and Nurses)
Prevention and Preparation
As a coach, you can play a key role in preventing concussions and responding properly when they occur. Here are some steps you can take throughout the school year to help prevent concussion and ensure the best outcome for your athletes, the team, and the school.
Preseason
Check with your school, district or organization about concussion policies.
Concussion policy statements can be developed to include the school's commitment to safety, a brief description of concussion, and information on when athletes can safely return to play (i.e., an athlete should be kept out of play the day of the injury and until a health care professional, experienced in evaluating for concussion, says the student is symptom-free and it's OK to return to play).
Parents and athletes should sign the concussion policy statement at the beginning of each sports season.
Involve and get support from other school officials—such as principals, certified athletic trainers, other coaches, school nurses, and parent-teacher associations—to help ensure that school rules and concussion policies are in place before the first practice.
Create a concussion action plan
To ensure that concussions are identified early and managed correctly, have an action plan in place before the season starts. To start:
- Identify a health care professional to respond to injuries during practice or competition.
- Fill out the “Heads Up” pocket card or clipboard sticker and keep it with you so that information about signs, symptoms, and emergency contacts is readily available.
- Be sure that other appropriate athletic and school staff and health care professionals know about the plan and have been trained to use it.
Review the signs and symptoms of concussion
and keep the four-step action plan with you at games and practices.
Educate athletes, parents and other coaches about concussion
Youth and high school coaches play a critical role by educating their athletes about concussion and emphasizing the importance of reporting any concussion symptoms. Before the first practice, talk to athletes, parents, and other coaches and school officials about the dangers of concussion and potential long-term consequences of concussion.
Explain your concerns about concussion and your expectations of safe play. Show the videos and pass out the concussion fact sheets for athletes and for parents at the beginning of the season and again if a concussion occurs. Remind athletes to tell the coaching staff right away if they suspect that they have a concussion or that a teammate has a concussion.
Monitor the health of your athletes
Make sure to ask if an athlete has ever had a concussion and insist that your athletes be medically evaluated and in good condition to participate. Some schools conduct preseason baseline testing (also known as neurocognitive tests) to assess brain function—learning and memory skills, ability to pay attention or concentrate, and how quickly someone can think and solve problems.
These tests can be used again during the season if an athlete has a concussion to help identify the effects of the injury. Prior to the first practice, determine whether your school would consider conducting baseline testing.
During the Season: Practices and Games
Insist that safety comes first.
Teach athletes safe playing techniques and encourage them to follow the rules of play. Encourage athletes to practice good sportsmanship at all times and make sure they wear the right protective equipment for their activity (such as helmets, padding, shin guards, and eye and mouth guards). Protective equipment should fit properly, be well maintained, and be worn consistently and correctly.
CONCUSSION: Prevention and Preparation
Prevent long-term problems.
If one of your athletes has a concussion, her/his brain needs time to heal. Don't let the student return to play the day of the injury and until a healthcare professional, experienced in evaluating for concussion, says s/he is symptom-free and it's OK to return to play. A repeat concussion that occurs before the brain recovers from the first—usually within a short time period (hours, days, weeks)—can slow recovery or increase the chances for long-term problems.
Teach your athletes it's not smart to play with a concussion.
Rest is key after a concussion. Sometimes athletes, parents, and other school officials wrongly believe that it shows strength and courage to play injured. Discourage others from pressuring injured athletes to play. Some athletes may also try to hide their symptoms. Don't let your athlete convince you that s/he is “just fine” or that s/he can “tough it out.” Emphasize to athletes and parents that playing with a concussion is dangerous.
Work closely with other school officials.
Be sure that appropriate staff is available for injury assessment and referrals for further medical care. Enlist school nurses and teachers to monitor any changes in the athlete's behavior or school work that could indicate that the student has a concussion. Ask them to report concussions that occurred during the school year. This will help in monitoring injured athletes who participate in multiple sports throughout the school year.
Communicating Effectively about Concussions
It's important to raise awareness about concussion throughout the school community and to educate athletes, parents, and others about how to prevent, recognize, and respond to concussions. Enlist the help of other school staff, including school nurses, and pass out the “Heads Up” factsheets, shows the videos, and/or make presentations to each group.
Talking to Athletes
Pass out the “Heads Up” fact sheet for athletes and show the videos on concussion. Emphasize that you take the issue seriously and that you expect them to do so as well. Devote a regular team meeting to this topic and invite the school nurse or other health care professional to speak to your team. Here are some things you can discuss with your athletes:
Every bump, blow, or jolt to the head or body can potentially cause a concussion.
Playing injured does not show courage or strength. Do not play through symptoms of concussion. You can increase your chances of having a repeat concussion and more serious long-term problems.
Tell coaching staff right away if you receive a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or body and have signs and symptoms of concussion or just don't “feel right.”
Signs and symptoms of concussion can appear right away or may not be noticed for days or weeks after the injury. Tell your coach if you think you have a concussion or if you think a teammate has one.
So, before and during the game, take a minute or two to think about safety. It can save a life or prevent a child or teen from living a lifetime with brain injury.
