The Institute of Medicine released a report in the fall of 2013 about sports-related concussions in youth athletes. Football had the highest rate of concussion per 10,000 athletes at 11.2, as should be expected. In most sports where both boys and girls participated, girls suffered a higher rate of concussion than boys. Sports that have a higher incidence of contact will have a higher rate of concussions. What can you do as a coach? Limit contact in practice and make sure you have the proper training.
Trusted Coaches has a unique program that uses the methods of the Center for Disease Control to help you, the coach, recognize the symptoms of concussion and understand the return-to-play protocol. As a verified coach, you will have the confidence to respond to concussion issues with your athletes.
For a full report of the IOM study, go to http://www.iom.edu