FVA Concussion Policy and Protocol

The FVA Executive Board adopted a Concussion Policy and Protocol that went into effect in 2023.

Your request to join the FVA constitutes agreement to abide by this policy.

Concussions are brain injuries caused by a hard hit to or around the head. Activities most commonly associated with concussion include full-contact sports like football and ice hockey. However, any sport or activity also carries some risk of concussion, such as soccer, lacrosse, cycling or even a fall from a swing set. This is why it’s important for all youth coaches, parents and athletes to know the signs of a concussion and how to respond when a head injury happens. 

“We can’t stop concussions from happening, but we can help improve recognition and management of concussions by educating and spreading awareness to individuals and the community, especially athletes, parents, coaches and providers,” says Armand Scurfield, MD, a Sports Medicine Primary Care Physician at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. “Our goal is to help protect growing athletes and get them back on the field as soon—and safely—as possible.”

It’s estimated that 1.6 to 3.8 million concussions occur every year, and many of those go unreported or unnoticed. Through better awareness, we can change that and help make sure kids recover appropriately and get the treatment they need.   

(https://www.choa.org/parent-resources/concussion/concussion-awareness)