On an annual basis, each member club of the Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Association (EPYSA) must communicate the EPYSA concussion policies and procedures to parents, coaches and others involved with the soccer program.
Concussions have become a major topic of discussion in athletics, from the professional ranks down to youth sports. In recent years, concussions have been diagnosed more frequently by doctors and there has been an increased effort to educate the public on the severe effects concussions can have on an individual, especially children and teenagers.
As a result of the increased awareness and concern that concussions can lead to significant medical problems if not diagnosed and treated properly, many organizations, including EPYSA, have adopted policies requiring their member organizations and clubs to educate coaches, parents and players on concussions.
EPYSA’s concussion policies and procedures must be implemented and followed by all member leagues and clubs. This policy requires that all coaches, assistant coaches and team managers take an on-line concussion training course to educate themselves on concussions. All NEYSA coaches and assistant coaches must complete the training and provide a copy of their certificate of completion to me as evidence of taking the course.
In addition to the requirement for coaches and assistant coaches, member organizations and clubs of EPYSA must ensure that parents and players of their club receive concussion awareness educational materials and are aware of the organization and state policies. Each club must sign an attestation and submit it to EPYSA by October 1, stating that they have complied with EPYSA's concussion policies. Clubs can be placed in bad standing or fined if found to be in non-compliance with the policy.
Links to concussion information located on EPYSA's website have been provided below. As a parent with a child playing youth soccer, you are strongly encouraged to access the links and familiarize yourself with the information regarding concussions.
Concussions are a SERIOUS INJURY and, as parents and coaches, we need to be aware of the signs/symptoms of a possible concussion and take the necessary action to protect our kids. Coaches have been instructed to not allow any player to continue playing in the event of a possible concussion, and to require medical clearance from a physician if a concussion is suspected, prior to the player being allowed to participate in future practices or games.
The tagline used for concussions is "When In Doubt, Sit Them Out" and all NEYSA coaches and parents are expected to adhere to this policy if a concussion is suspected for one of our players.
Please take the time to review the following links that provide information on concussions.
CDC Concussion Page (HeadsUp):
http://www.cdc.gov/concussion/sports/index.htmlParent/Athlete Concussion Information Sheet:
http://www.cdc.gov/concussion/headsup/pdf/Parent_Athlete_Info_Sheet-a.pdfConcussion Fact Sheet for Parents:
http://www.cdc.gov/concussion/pdf/parents_Eng.pdfConcussion Fact Sheet for Athletes:
http://www.cdc.gov/concussion/pdf/athletes_Eng.pdfGuide to Sports Concussions
https://ceufast.com/blog/a-nurses-guide-to-sports-concussions