1. Concussions
Policies for the management of concussion and head injury for CIF Member Schools
A.B. 25 added to the education code a mandate that schools must now follow. On a yearly
basis, a concussion and head injury information sheet shall be signed and returned by the
athlete and the athlete's parent or guardian before the athlete's initiating practice or competition.
Below is the word document from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that
schools/districts may use to meet the mandate in A.B. 25 to inform parents and students on
concussion signs and symptoms.
Concussion Parent/Athlete Information for School Distribution
Additional Resources:
Best Practices Following a Concussion
Fact Sheet For Coaches
Fact Sheet For Athletes
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2. Concussions
Fact Sheet for Parents/Guardians
Student Resource Packet (English) /
Student Resource Packet (Spanish)
Parent Resource Packet (English) /
Parent Resource Packet (Spanish)
Play it Safer
Return to Play Recommended Form - Acute Concussion Evaluation (ACE) Care Plan-Form
Complete this twenty minute on-line class for FREE from the NFHS and the CIF.
Coaches should download and print their certificate at the completion of the course.
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3. Concussions
Nationwide data continues to show that many catastrophic head injuries are a direct result of
injured athletes returning to play too soon, not having fully recovered from the first head injury.
On May 7, 2010, the State CIF Federated Council passed Bylaw 313 that now requires a signed
medical release before a student-athlete who is suspected to have sustained a concussion can
return to play. Please use the links and information provided to further educate yourself on the
signs, symptoms and actions that all involved in education based CIF sports should take when
they suspect any type of head injury.
Bylaw 313
A student-athlete who is suspected of sustaining a concussion or head injury in a practice or
game shall be removed from competition at that time for the remainder of the day. 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 receives written clearance to return to play from that health care provider.
COACHES RESOURCES
Coaches shall immediately remove from practice or game competition any athlete who is
suspected of sustaining a concussion or head injury and remain out of practice or play for the
rest of the day.
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4. Concussions
Coaches shall not allow an athlete who has been removed from play because of a suspected
concussion/brain injury to return to play until the athlete has received written clearance from a
licensed health care provider trained in the evaluation and management of brain injuries.
Coaches Resource Materials
ATHLETES AND PARENTS/GUARDIANS RESOURCES
Over 400,000 high school student-athletes suffered a concussion last year.
A concussion is a brain injury and all brain injuries are serious. They are caused by a bump,
blow, or jolt to the head, or by a blow to another part of the body with the force transmitted to
the head. They can range from mild to severe and can disrupt the way the brain normally works.
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5. Concussions
Even though most concussions are mild, all concussions are potentially serious and may
result in complications including prolonged brain damage and death if not recognized
and managed properly.
In other words, even a “ding” or a bump on the head can be serious. You can’t see a
concussion and most sports concussions occur without loss of consciousness. S igns and
symptoms of concussion may show up right after the injury or can take hours or days to fully
appear. If your child reports any symptoms of concussion, or if you notice the symptoms or
signs of concussion yourself, seek medical attention right away.
"Keeping Quiet Can Keep You Out of the Game"
CIF MEMBER SCHOOLS
Schools shall ensure that any athlete showing signs or symptoms of concussion/brain injury is
removed from participation immediately and not allowed to return to play until they have written
clearance from a licensed health care provider trained in the evaluation and management of
concussion/brain injury. (CIF Bylaw 313).
Schools should ensure that all coaches (paid or volunteer) are educated in the nature and risk
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6. Concussions
of concussion or head injury prior to the first practice/competition. This education shall include
signs and symptoms of concussion/brain injury. This education is available at NO CHARGE
through the NFHS and the CIF . Follow the
link above and complete the free 20-minute on-line course.
Schools should distribute an information sheet to student-athletes and parents each year that
include the signs and symptoms of concussion/brain injury.
School Resource Materials
LICENSED HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS
What licensed health care providers are trained in the evaluation and treatment of
concussions/brain injuries and authorized to allow the athlete to return to play?
The “scope of practice” for licensed health care providers and medical professionals is
defined by California state statutes. This scope of practice will limit the evaluation to a
medical doctor (MD) or doctor of osteopathy (DO).
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7. Concussions
Physicians Tool Kit from the Center for Disease Control
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has shared with the NFHS a new FREE
online training they created to provide health-care professionals with an overview of what they
need to know about concussion among young athletes. The goal of this course, is to prepare
health-care professionals to diagnose and manage concussions on the sidelines, in their office,
training room, or in the emergency department.
Please see the information below and the link to the online training from the CDC. ( www.preve
ntingconcussions.org
)
Heads Up to Clinicians: Addressing Concussion in Sports among Kids and Teens
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