April/May 2019 - 8

EDITORIAL between the lines
don't neglect
CONCUSSION
EDUCATION
IN YOUR SCHOOL
By Kevin Hoffman, Editorial Director
There's one way to put an end to
concussions once and for all, and that's to
quit playing the games. Since that's not a
plausible solution, athletic directors must
make every effort to protect their athletes and
their schools.
The industry has had little trouble
focusing on the athletes. Helmet designs
have significantly improved, and we're all doing more to educate
athletes about proper playing techniques. We're moving the
needle for player safety, but are we doing the same when it
comes educating those in charge of athletic programs?
In January, AM Best hosted a webinar discussing the rise in
head injuries and how insurers and the legal community are
dealing with it. Unsurprisingly, the increase in concussions has
resulted in more insurance claims and lawsuits against schools
and coaches. There's no simple way safeguard your program, but
everyone agreed the best approach is education.
" Education is the most important precaution you can take, "
said Jon Butler, executive director of Pop Warner Little Scholars.
" You don't want a lawsuit to show that you were negligent. "
Legislatures, athletic associations and school boards might all
have their own regulations for injury management and prevention.
In many cases, laws and policies are not clear when it comes to
responsibility for removing a player from action or clearing them
to return. David Feigley, founder and director of the Rutgers Youth
Sports Research Council, said " it's literally the Wild West out there "
when referring to lack of consistency among policies and procedures.
As confusing as it can be, everyone involved in an athletic
department must be familiar with the rules in their respective
states - their careers may depend on it. The worst thing a coach
can do when confronted with allegations of negligence is to say
" I didn't know. " Those words only support the notion that the
coach was not doing their part to keep athletes safe from harm.
Athletic programs can't prevent concussions, but what they
can do is put their coaches and staffs in position to respond
accordingly. That can only happen if athletic administrators make
education a priority. They can start by implementing a policy that
requires everyone in the program to read and understand the rules.
Administer a test if necessary. Ignorance cannot be an excuse.
Technology has made sports safer, but education will always be
our best weapon against debilitating injuries like concussions. If
we're not taking them seriously, and student-athletes are harmed
as a result, we have only ourselves to blame.
8 APRIL/MAY 2019
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TOM BASS, Former NFL Assistant, Cincinnati Bengals, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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County, MD * ABE WEHMILLER, Director of Athletics, Charlotte Country Day
School, Charlotte, NC * ALAN STEIN, Head Strength and Conditioning Coach,
Nike Elite DeMatha Catholic High School, MD * PETE KITTEL, Principal, Brillion
High School, WI * DARREN FENSTER, Minor League Manager, Boston Red Sox
& Founder/CEO, Coaching Your Kids, LLC, Neptune, NJ * JOSH HILS, Soccer
Coach, Coe-Brown Northwood Academy, NH * DR. BRANDEN LIPPY, Athletic
Director, Lampeter-Strasburg High School, Lancaster, PA
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April/May 2019

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