CONCUSSION PROTOCOLS

ORPD is committed to the safety of all participants. While no sport is free of hazards, ORPD strives to maintain a safe and healthy space for athletes to engage in physical activity. An important part of that is understanding and monitoring for potential or suspected concussions. To minimize the dangers of concussions, and to comply with AB 2007, the following protocol is to be implemented. This will apply to all coaches, parents, athletes, staff and officials.

What is a concussion?

Per the CDC, a concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury—or TBI— caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or by a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move quickly back and forth. This fast movement can cause the brain to bounce around or twist in the skull, creating chemical changes in the brain and sometimes stretching and damaging the brain cells.

Suspected Concussion:

1.    Stop play/participation.

2.    Remove from activity.

3.    Notify parents of incident, symptoms.

4.    Document incident on incident form.

5.    Return to play.

Removal from Play

ORPD maintains a “when in doubt, sit them out” model as it relates to possible concussion or other potential injury. In accordance with CDC guidelines, “an athlete who is suspected of sustaining a concussion or other head injury in an athletic activity shall be immediately removed from the activity for the remainder of the day.”

Parent Notification

If an athlete who is 17 years of age or younger has been removed from athletic activity due to a suspected concussion, the youth sports organization shall notify a parent or guardian of that athlete of the time and date of the injury, the symptoms observed, and any treatment provided to that athlete for the injury.

Return to Play

Any athlete or participant shall not be permitted to return to any activity until he or she is evaluated by a licensed health care provider. The athlete shall not be permitted to return to athletic activity until he or she receives written clearance to return to athletic activity from a licensed healthcare provider. If the licensed health care provider determines that the athlete sustained a concussion or other head injury, the athlete shall also complete a graduated return-to-play protocol of no less than seven days in duration under the supervision of a licensed health care provider.

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