Concussion Policy
Fort Hunt Sports (FHYAA) Concussion Management Policy
This policy, adopted by the Board of Directors of the Fort Hunt Youth Association (FHYAA),
sets minimum requirements for all sports programs to manage concussion injuries for participants.
Concussion Management Policy Objective:
1. Reduce concussion risks for participants in FHYAA programs.
2. Increase awareness of concussion risks, concussion effects, concussion signs &
symptoms and proper management for coaches, parents, and participants in FHYAA
programs.
3. Comply with Virginia State law, which requires youth sports programs utilizing public
school properties to establish policies and procedures regarding the identification and
handling of suspected concussions in youth athletes.
4. Comply with insurance requirements.
5. Reduce legal risks to FHYAA.
I. Education and Awareness:
A. FHYAA shall provide each Commissioner and coach, on an annual basis, information on the
nature and risk of concussions, criteria for removal from play and return to play, and risks of not
reporting the injury and continuing to play. FHYAA requires each coach to e-sign a statement
acknowledging receipt of such information and FHYAA will maintain such record for no less
than seven years. All FHYAA coaches will complete the online concussion training and follow-
up quiz provided by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) at:
http://www.cdc.gov/headsup/youthsports/training,
B. All FHYAA parents or guardians of each youth participant, will at the onset of each season,
be provided information on the nature and risk of concussions, criteria for removal from play and
return to play, and risks of not reporting the injury and continuing to play. FHYAA requires each
parent or guardian to e-sign a statement during registration acknowledging receipt of such
information and FHYAA will maintain such record for no less than seven years.
C. FHYAA will provide coaches and parents concussion fact sheets for coaches and parents from
CDC “HEADS UP Youth Sports”: http://www.cdc.gov/headsup/youthsports/index.html. Nothing
this policy prohibits a sport from using additional suitable sources of concussion information.
D. FHYAA will periodically provide additional communications on concussion education to
coaches, players, and parents, including meetings, seminars, discussion forums, online resources,
handouts and other forms of communication.
II. Head Impact Protocol
A. Each sport program of FHYAA shall use the FHYAA protocol to govern procedures for any
the situation in which a participant in FHYAA programs or activities (including games, practices, skill sessions, and other athletic activities) is suspected of having incurred a potential concussion
as a result of a head or neck impact or other impact that could lead to a concussion.
B. The protocol sets forth (i) a procedure for immediate removal of the player participant from
the activity to be evaluated for symptoms of a concussion; (ii) a procedure for a coach, team
official, club representative, trainer, or medical professional to evaluate the player participant for
symptoms of a concussion; and (iii) a requirement that the player participant not be permitted to
return to play or any other athletic activity on that day if the player participant exhibits any
symptoms of a concussion. FHYAA policy regarding concussion is: “when in doubt, sit it out.”
C. FHYAA Protocol:
Step 1: Identification
Use the age-appropriate SCAT 5 Sideline Assessment Tool to determine if a
Concussion has occurred.
Evaluate the player and note if any of the following signs and/or symptoms are
present:
• Dazed look or confusion about what happened.
• Memory difficulties.
• Neck pain, headaches, nausea, vomiting, double vision, blurriness, ringing noise or
sensitivity to sounds.
• Short attention span. Can’t keep focused.
• Slow reaction time, slurred speech, bodily movements lagging, fatigue, and
slowly answering questions or difficulty answering questions.
• Abnormal physical and/or mental behavior.
• Lacking coordination, ex: balance, dizziness, clumsy, reaction time. NOTE: When in
doubt the player must sit out! No player suspected of having a concussion is
permitted to play.
Step 2: Emergency Treatment
Parents, Players, and Coaches are not medical experts but must check for symptoms if a
concussion is suspected. If any are identified, emergency treatment is needed:
Spine or neck injury or pain.
Behavior change, unable to recognize people/places, less responsive than usual.
Loss of consciousness/Very drowsy, can't be awakened.
Headaches that worsen.
Seizures.
Repeated vomiting.
Increasing confusion or irritability.
Weakness, and numbness in arms and legs. Step 3: Non-Emergency Treatment
If no emergency treatment is required for the possible concussion, do the following:
(1) Remove the participant from play.
(2) Contact the parent and notify them of the possibility of a concussion.
(3) Contact the Commissioner and notify them of the possibility of a concussion.
(4) Keep the participant out of play the day of the injury until a licensed health care
professional provides written clearance for the player participant to resume activities.
Parents and coaches responsible for participants with a concussion should monitor these
areas every 5-10 min for the next 1 – 2 hours:
• Balance, movement.
• Speech.
• Memory, instructions, and responses.
• Attention to topics, details, confusion, and ability to concentrate.
• State of consciousness.
• Mood, behavior, and personality.
• Headache or “pressure” in the head.
• Nausea or vomiting.
• Sensitivity to light and noise.
III. Return to Play
A. If a player participant in FHYAA activities is removed from play due to exhibiting symptoms
of a concussion, they may not return to any athletic activity until a licensed healthcare provider
has provided FHYAA with written clearance for the player participant to resume activities. This
does not prevent a player participant from attending games, practices, and other activities.
B. FHYAA is required to maintain records of medical clearances for seven years.
C. A “licensed healthcare provider” means a physician, physician assistant, osteopath physician,
or athletic trainer licensed by the Virginia Board of Medicine; a neuropsychologist licensed by
the Board of Psychology; or a nurse practitioner licensed by the Virginia State Board of Nursing.
IV. Reporting Requirements
FHYAA shall annually provide a copy of its Concussion Management Policy to the State Office
no later than October 31 of each year starting in 2021.
V. Appendix
The following material helped inform the FHYAA Board in formulating this policy and will be
provided to all parents, guardians, and coaches:
CDC – Heads Up Program – Heads Up | HEADS UP | CDC Injury Center
Brain Injury Association of America: https://www.biausa.org/
https://www.biausa.org/brain-injury/about-brain-injury/concussion-mtbi/crashcourse
https://www.totalsafety.org/concussion-awareness/
Think Taylor – Organization started by Taylor Twellman to assist with the education of the public
concerning traumatic head injuries (concussions) http://www.thinktaylor.org/
More Helpful Links:
What Is a Concussion? | HEADS UP | CDC Injury Center
Concussion Danger Signs | HEADS UP | CDC Injury Center
HEADS UP to Youth Sports: Coaches | HEADS UP | CDC Injury Center
HEADS UP to Parents | HEADS UP | CDC Injury Center
HEADS UP to Youth Sports: Athletes | HEADS UP | CDC Injury Center