Wellesley United

A concussion is a serious injury and should not be taken lightly. It is a type of traumatic brain injury (TBI), that can be caused by a bump, blow or jolt to the head that can change the way your brain normally works.  They can also occur from a blow to the body that causes the head to move rapidly.  Even a mild bump or blow to the head can be serious.  Unfortunately, concussions can be difficult to diagnose, in part because the symptoms can be subtle and may not show up for hours or even days.  For these reasons, it is key that parents, coaches and athletes take time to understand what concussions are and their potential consequences, recognize concussion signs and symptoms, know how to respond, and learn the steps for returning to activity after a concussion.  If you suspect an athlete has a concussion, keep the athlete out of play (when in doubt, keep them out).  The athlete must be evaluated by a health care professional experienced in evaluating concussions to assess the severity of the concussion, the path to recovery and the steps to return to play.

Wellesley United Soccer Club Concussion Policy (adopted 9/10/2012)

At WUSC, we want to ensure our players are provided the safest environment possible. As a result, we are instituting a concussion policy to help provide guidelines related to players who have been diagnosed with or are suspected of having a concussion.
 

• All coaches are required to take the Center for Disease Control (CDC) online training course. A copy of the certificate that you receive after completing this course must be sent to club administrator Sue DeNatale prior to the first practice or game. We also highly recommend that parents and athletes take the time to review this course. Click here to go to the CDC On-Line Concussion Awareness Training.
   
• All Coaches are required to sit a player out for the remainder of a practice or game if the player sustains a blow to the head or a jarring collision that causes the coach to suspect a possible mild or traumatic brain injury.
   
• The coach is required to notify the parents/legal guardians of the incident. WUSC coaches are parent volunteers who, with very limited exception, are not medically trained or certified and may not be able to spot a situation in which a player may have sustained a head or other injury.
   
• The coach is also required to inform the age group coordinator at the WUSC of the incident citing the date of the injury, the date the parents/legal guardians were notified, how they were notified (conversation, email, voicemail, etc), and a brief description of the circumstances surrounding the incident.
   
• If a coach suspects a concussion and requires a player to sit out, that player will not be allowed to return to soccer until the coach is provided with written clearance from a medical professional. The coach will inform their age group coordinator at WUSC that he or she received the note clearing the player to resume activities.
   
• When a Parent/legal guardian registers their Player they will be required to check a box agreeing to the following: “If my child is diagnosed with a concussion during a WUSC activity or during ANY OTHER ACTIVITY including those outside Wellesley Soccer, or if my player has a prior head injury, I will inform my child’s Coach of such diagnosis prior to the start of the season or before my child returns to play.”

“Coaches” means all volunteer Head Coaches and Assistant Coaches

Qualified medical professional means a professional with expertise on concussion for example: pediatricians, pediatric neurologists, and sports medicine specialists who have been certified by the state to provide care for patients with concussion or post-concussive symptoms.

Resources and Links

The CDC website is an outstanding resource.    Here are some helpful links:

Homepage – http://www.cdc.gov/concussion/sports/index.html

How Can I Recognize a Possible Concussion - http://www.cdc.gov/concussion/sports/recognize.html

What Should I do If a Concussion Occurs - http://www.cdc.gov/concussion/sports/response.html

Quick Fact Sheet for Athletes to Help Them Recognize Symptoms - http://www.cdc.gov/concussion/pdf/athletes_Eng.pdf

Online Training Course for Coaches (highly recommended) - http://www.cdc.gov/concussion/HeadsUp/online_training.html