Procedure No. 3422P

Student Sports Concussion, Head Injuries, and Sudden Cardiac Arrest

Concussion and Head Injury Management in Student Sports

A. Athletic Director or Administrator in Charge of Athletics Duties:

1. Updating: Each spring, the athletic director, or the administrator in charge of athletics if there is no athletic director, shall review any changes that have been made in forms required for concussion, head injury management and sudden cardiac arrest by consulting with the WIAA or the WIAA Web site. If there are any updated forms, they will be adopted and used for the upcoming school year.
2. Identifying Sports: By June 30 of each year, the athletic director or administrator in charge will identify competitive sport activities in the district for which compliance with Policy 3422 is required. A list of competitive sports activities and the district’s applicable policies and procedures will be distributed to all coaching staff and volunteers.

B. Coach Training: All coaches shall undergo training in head injury and concussion management at least once every two years by one of the following means: (1) through attendance at a WIAA or similar clock hour presentation which uses WIAA guidelines; or (2) by completing WIAA online training.  All coaches will undergo training in sudden cardiac arrest prevention every three years by completing an online program developed by the WIAA and the University of Washington medicine center for sports cardiology and providing proof of completion of same to the district. 

C. Parent Information Sheet: On a yearly basis, a concussion and head injury information sheet shall be signed and returned by the youth athlete and the athlete's parent and/or guardian prior to the youth athlete's initiating practice or competition. The information sheet will also incorporate a statement attesting to the student and parent/guardian’s review of the online pamphlet on sudden cardiac arrest posted on the OSPI website.  The statement must be signed by both the student and parent. These information sheets may be incorporated into the parent permission sheet which allows students to participate in extracurricular athletics.

D. Coach’s Responsibility: A youth athlete who is suspected of sustaining a concussion or head injury in a practice or game or one who exhibits symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest shall be immediately removed from play.

E. Return to Play After Concussion, Head Injury or symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest: A student athlete who has been removed from play may not return to play until the athlete is evaluated by a licensed health care provider trained in the evaluation and management of concussion and sudden cardiac arrest and receives written clearance to return to play from that health care provider. The health care provider may be a volunteer.

Adopted: February 22, 2010

Revised:  July 27, 2015