MHSA proactive on protecting athletes
A 16-year-old running back is sprinting down the middle of the football field when an incoming linebacker hits him at full speed. The players’ helmets absorb most of the crunch, but not all of it.
Stumbling to his feet, the dazed 16-year-old tries to walk back to the sideline but he falls back to the ground nauseous, a victim of traumatic brain injury.
What exactly happens from this point on is currently being studied and debated around the world as more and more light is being shed on the severity of concussions.
Although concussions are nothing new, they have become a firebrand in the world of sports. New studies are confirming the threat posed by concussions and how athletes, on a regular basis, are being affected by this type of injury in both the short term and long term.
With that in mind, the Montana High School Association is taking proactive steps to protect competitors.
New rules are in place for every MHSA sanctioned sport outlining exact rules and guidelines in the event of a concussion or a potential one.
The state’s Return to Play Rule (RTP) reads, an athlete “who exhibits signs, symptoms or behaviors consistent with a concussion (such as loss of consciousness, headache, dizziness, confusion or balance problems) or other serious injury shall be immediately removed from the game, evaluated by the coaching staff in regard to the nature of the injury, and if it is determined to be a possible concussion or other serious injury, the player shall not return to play until cleared by an appropriate health-care professional (MD, DO, PAC or NP).”
The new additions to the RTP state that officials and coaches are not expected to diagnose these situations and are not responsible for evaluations, but they are asked to “use best judgment in observing signs/symptoms of concussion or other injury.”
In simpler and bolder words, the MHSA declared “When in Doubt, Sit them Out!” in the Present and Future Issues presentation that was given at this year’s coaches clinic in Great Falls earlier this month.
“The issue was taken on because it’s very important throughout the nation right now and it’s so important and relevant to our high school athletes who are participating in sports,” MHSA Executive Director Mark Beckman told the Inter Lake.
“We put it in our handbook to say here it is and also to make sure everyone understands that there are guidelines for this.”
In the past, athletes only had to follow the RTP rule if they lost consciousness or appeared to lose consciousness momentarily. However, new research shows that losing consciousness isn’t the sole sign that concussion has occurred. Changes to the RTP rule were made acknowledging this.
“If they are injured and they are showing signs then they will be evaluated. If there is a concussion they can’t return to play,” Beckman said.
“These concussions affect the student’s ability to participate on the field and in the classroom.”
To read the MHSA’s presentation, go to: mhsa.org.