District 25 Little League Concussion Prevention, Treatment and Management Policy

Recently, Legislature enacted a law which requires youth sports organizations to adopt a policy concerning the prevention and treatment of injuries to the head which may occur during a youth’s participation in competitive sports, including, without limitation, a concussion of the brain.

A concussion is a brain injury that results from a bump, blow or jolt to the head or body which causes the brain to move rapidly in the skull and which disrupts normal brain function. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States Department of Health and Human Services estimates that as many as 3.8 million concussions occur each year in the United States which are related to participation in sports and other recreational activities. Athletes who continue to participate in an athletic activity while suffering from a concussion or suffering from the symptoms of an injury to the head are at greater risk for catastrophic injury to the brain or even death. Ensuring that a Little League player who sustains or is suspected of sustaining a concussion or other injury to the head receives appropriate medical care before returning to baseball activity will significantly reduce the child’s risk of sustaining greater injury in the future.

THEREFORE, District 25 Little League hereby adopts the following policy for purposes of prevention, treatment, and management of injuries to the head that may occur during a player’s participation in the Little League program, including, without limitation, a concussion of the brain:

1. Prior to a team’s first practice each season, every manager, coach, and adult assistant shall:
   
   a) Familiarize themselves with the CDC publication “Heads Up – Concussion in Youth Sports – A Fact Sheet for Coaches”. This publication will be provided to all such individuals by the League Safety Officer; and,
   
   b) Complete the CDC on-line training course at: https://www.train.org/cdctrain/course/1089818/ (20 minutes to complete TOPS)
   
   A copy of the Certificate of Completion for each of the above individuals shall be submitted to
   the League Safety Officer.
   
2. If a Little League player sustains, or is suspected of sustaining, an injury to the head while participating in any Little League game or even the player must:
   
   a. Be immediately removed from the game or event; and
   
   b. May only return to Little League activity if the parent or legal guardian of the player provides a signed statement from a provider of health care indicating that the youth is medically cleared for Little League participation and the date on which the player may return to participation.
   
3. The Little League player and his or her parent or legal guardian must sign the statement below acknowledging that they have read and understand the terms and conditions of the policy and agree to be bound by the policy.