jump ball

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by oc

The alternative is to go straight by the book as I read it and force the injured player to do the jump ball.

Hope your liability insurance is current.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

Hope your liability insurance is current.

Mark's right. Treat it like a free throw shooter. Allow the sub, injured player has to sit at least one tick; then can return.

The only way you can say he can't play the rest of the game is if you deem he had a concussion; in which case he needs to have a Dr. note to enter again.

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

Mark's right. Treat it like a free throw shooter. Allow the sub, injured player has to sit at least one tick; then can return.

The only way you can say he can't play the rest of the game is if you deem he had a concussion become unconscious; in which case he needs to have a Dr. note to enter again.

It's actually a little different.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

It's actually a little different.

yeah yeah, whatever.

[Nevadaref]

Seriously, Adam, because of your post I'm now going to ask my state office for clarification on the concussion issue. I went back and checked last year's POE that gave the "proper procedure for handling apparent concussions."
It seems to be written as a directive to the coaching staff, not the game officials.
This procedure did not reappear in the 2007-08 rules book.

I'm going to ask what to do should I as a game official suspect that a player is suffering from a concussion. Perhaps the player was knocked out in a previous game and hasn't fully recovered, but since I did not observe that I would have no idea. What is my role in protecting the safety of that student-athlete?

[Adam]

It's a good point. As I was writing the first post, though, I was thinking how truly unqualified we are to even think about concussions. Unconscious, that we can generally ascertain.

We aren't qualified, however, to determine whether a player has suffered a concussion. I don't think we should be given any authority at all on that issue, because authority generally comes with liability. It should fall on the coaches who have consistent contact with the kids as well as access to medical consultation.

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

It's a good point. As I was writing the first post, though, I was thinking how truly unqualified we are to even think about concussions. Unconscious, that we can generally ascertain.

We aren't qualified, however, to determine whether a player has suffered a concussion. I don't think we should be given any authority at all on that issue, because authority generally comes with liability. It should fall on the coaches who have consistent contact with the kids as well as access to medical consultation.

While I don't disagree with anything you've written, the other side of the argument would be that as adults and game officials we have a responsibility to look after the safety of the young players.

The concussion procedure which I previously mentioned on page 71 of the 2006-07 NFHS rules book contains:

ACTION PLAN
If you suspect that a player has a concussion, you should take the following steps:
1. Remove athlete from play.
2. Ensure athlete is evaluated by an appropriate health care professional. Do not try to judge the seriousness of the injury yourself.
3. Inform athlete's parents or guardians about the known or possible concussion and give them the fact sheet on concussion.
4. Allow the athlete to return to play only with permission from an appropriate health care professional.

I have to wonder about the game official's role in upholding the words in red.