Head injury

[SAK]

Middle school tournament.

Player goes down clutching his head. Partner goes in to see what is wrong and spend several minutes with the player. She coaches him to sit up when he is ready. Contrary to what I have be taught to avoid player who has been injured.

I confirm with the table staff that there is no trainer on staff today. I ask my partner if she suspects a head injury. She confirmed I tells her that the player is then disqualified for the day as I suspect a head injury. She says that she agrees unless the tournament director says otherwise. I inform her that without medical clearance this child will not play again today, at least on my court. She informs me that she will listen to the tournament director. I inform her that the tournament directors can say what he wants but when the ball is tossed it is then our responsibility as the game officials.

Partner feels that there is no expectations for us a officials to know the prototypical. However, my argument is that as high school officials there is an expectation both legally and ethically to protect the players and in addition we have liability if we suspected a head injury to have the player medically cleared (in Arizona a staff trainer qualifies as the medical professional).

Looking for thoughts on this saturation and other ways to handle it.

FWIW both me and partner are high school varsity officials as certified by the state association

I like what you did, good job sticking to your principles.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by SAK

Middle school tournament.

Player goes down clutching his head. Partner goes in to see what is wrong and spend several minutes with the player. She coaches him to sit up when he is ready. Contrary to what I have be taught to avoid player who has been injured.

I confirm with the table staff that there is no trainer on staff today. I ask my partner if she suspects a head injury. She confirmed I tells her that the player is then disqualified for the day as I suspect a head injury. She says that she agrees unless the tournament director says otherwise. I inform her that without medical clearance this child will not play again today, at least on my court. She informs me that she will listen to the tournament director. I inform her that the tournament directors can say what he wants but when the ball is tossed it is then our responsibility as the game officials.

Partner feels that there is no expectations for us a officials to know the prototypical. However, my argument is that as high school officials there is an expectation both legally and ethically to protect the players and in addition we have liability if we suspected a head injury to have the player medically cleared (in Arizona a staff trainer qualifies as the medical professional).

Looking for thoughts on this saturation and other ways to handle it.

FWIW both me and partner are high school varsity officials as certified by the state association

The officials have all the authority here. That kid wouldn't play if I was officiating. If the TD felt otherwise, I'd leave.

[SAK]

My partner also disagreed with me and said that she will contact her mentor. I said that was fine but having high school officials is different from asking some guy in the gym to officiate a game. By using high school officials there is an expectation that we know the game and the rules. As her mentors are high level officials in Arizona I hope they agree with me but even if they don't I would stick to my guns and disallow this player from entry on my court I could not imagine allowing a middle school kid who may have a brain injury (as a concussion is) to play and risk further injury.

[JRutledge]

If you have no protocals for that level meaning there is no league or association procedures, then you have to protect yourself the best way you can.

We have a state law which means that someone that is an Approved Healthcare Professional has to review any player that has exhibited signs of a concussion, when identified by the officials. If there is no AHP around, we do not allow them to come into the game. And the schools have to have someone in place so that these situations can be reviewed. Otherwise this is not a situation we allow a player to continue.

I had this happen in an AAU game and we refused to allow the player play when they were clearly wobbly and someone out of the stands tried to verify their credentials. It was a tournament and no one associated with the tournament was an official medical person. I stood my ground and got a lot of crap about it, but I was protecting myself not just the player legally.

Peace

[Dad]

Originally Posted by SAK

Partner goes in to see what is wrong and spend several minutes with the player. She coaches him to sit up when he is ready.

I ask my partner if she suspects a head injury. She confirmed I tells her that the player is then disqualified for the day as I suspect a head injury. She says that she agrees unless the tournament director says otherwise.

Partner feels that there is no expectations for us a officials to know the prototypical. However, my argument is that as high school officials there is an expectation both legally and ethically to protect the players and in addition we have liability if we suspected a head injury to have the player medically cleared (in Arizona a staff trainer qualifies as the medical professional).

FWIW both me and partner are high school varsity officials as certified by the state association

I'd do pretty much exactly what you did.

I don't see the connection on how your partner handled this and being a varsity official.

I cut out some of what you said, and mostly left it to show how poorly this was handled, unless I missed something.

Several MINUTES went by? How? Moment I blow my whistle because someone is hurt I'm yelling, "Coach." It's his/her responsibility to come over and deal with it. After that, it's gross negligence if you let them play without someone acceptable to clear them(If you think there is a head injury). No trainer to clear him? He's not playing.

You should feel like a hero for being there to handle this with some sort of decency.

[SAK]

Originally Posted by Dad

I'd do pretty much exactly what you did.

I don't see the connection on how your partner handled this and being a varsity official.

I cut out some of what you said, and mostly left it to show how poorly this was handled, unless I missed something.

Several MINUTES went by? How? Moment I blow my whistle because someone is hurt I'm yelling, "Coach." It's his/her responsibility to come over and deal with it. After that, it's gross negligence if you let them play without someone acceptable to clear them(If you think there is a head injury). No trainer to clear him? He's not playing.

You should feel like a hero for being there to handle this with some sort of decency.

I agree with you 100%. The reason I mentioned that we are both varsity officials is that the is an expectation for knowing the rules.

[Raymond]

Coach's responsibility, not tounament director.

By rule.

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[SAK]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

Coach's responsibility, not tounament director.

By rule.

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Please site your rule reference/

[BigCat]

Originally Posted by SAK

Please site your rule reference/

2-8-5 says officials duty to remove player with concussion symptoms. 2.8.5 play says officials need not verify that healthcare provider approved etc. it is school and coach responsibility.

i have no problem with what you did.

[TimTaylor]

Regardless of what "rules" are in effect for various leagues, tournaments, etc., there are laws in all 50 states that govern concussion risk management for youth sports.

You did the right thing. When in doubt, sit them out.

[jTheUmp]

Here's how we're told to deal with a suspected concussion.

1) Send her out, and tell the coach that she needs to get checked out.
2) She get evaluated by a AHP.
3) If the AHP clears her, she can be returned to the game.
4) We, as officials, don't need any kind of or information from the aforementioned AHP... if the coach lets her back in, we're to assume that she's been cleared by an AHP.
5) If the player shows any concussion symptoms again, GOTO step 1.

HOWEVER

If I know (or can reasonably assume, as in the OP's case) that there's no AHP around to provide clearance, I'm sending her back out basically as soon as she returns to the court, probably before I let the ball become live. "Coach, she's showing symptoms again, she needs to be re-evaluated." Repeat as necessary until the message has gotten across.

With that said, I have no problem with how you handled it.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by TimTaylor

Regardless of what "rules" are in effect for various leagues, tournaments, etc., there are laws in all 50 states that govern concussion risk management for youth sports.

You did the right thing. When in doubt, sit them out.

Exactly....and they're probably different in every state.

Oregon...we send them to the bench. If it is a private school, they're done for the game. If it is a public school, the coach can send them back in. If we observe concussion like behavior, we can send them back out. But the onus is on the coach to manage the situation.

Yeah, I know, but that is how the law came out...there are parties trying to fix the differential treatment between public and private.

[TimTaylor]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

Exactly....and they're probably different in every state.

Oregon...we send them to the bench. If it is a private school, they're done for the game. If it is a public school, the coach can send them back in. If we observe concussion like behavior, we can send them back out. But the onus is on the coach to manage the situation.

Yeah, I know, but that is how the law came out...there are parties trying to fix the differential treatment between public and private.

Cam,

I believe that they did fix the private/public school differences issue in the last legislative session.

[Scooby]

In Michigan, MHSAA, has taken all responsibility away from the officials in regard to concussions. Here is an excerpt from a letter sent out about concussions.

1. The officials will have no role in determining concussion other than the obvious one where a player is either unconscious or apparently unconscious. Officials will merely point out to a coach that a player is apparently injured and advise that the player should be examined by a health care professional
for an exact determination of the extent of injury

4. Following the contest, an Officials Report shall be filed with a removed player’s school and the MHSAA if the situation was brought to the officials’ attention.


If a coach does not to have a player checked out and return her to the game, the official has no authority (through the MHSAA) to take action.