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Better Late Than Never

November 8, 2013

In a matter of minutes online or a matter of an hour in a bookstore, we can locate dozens of magazine articles and full-length books that describe either the blessings or burdens of all the technology that is now at our fingertips at home, at work and in play.

Every problem we have (and many we had no idea we have) seems to have a technology solution. And, it seems every solution creates new problems: from invasions of personal privacies to compromised security of children, companies and countries. And sometimes the technology breaks down altogether.

The latest and largest failure is the government’s inability to deliver on its promised online health care marketplace. Before that, we’ve seen “glitches” close down Wall Street’s NASDAQ exchange. Technology troubles recently crippled the reservation systems of 11 airlines simultaneously. Even Internet “expert” Facebook mishandled the technology for its own initial public offering.

So it has surprised few of us that the launch of ArbiterGame to solve the scheduling issues of MHSAA member schools has had many of its own issues. But we are certain of this: ArbiterGame will be successful in providing member schools the safest, most efficient and reliable electronic athletic department management system that is available, and the least expensive, anywhere.

As we began this journey in the second half of 2011 in response to a crescendo of complaints from administrators about the then-available scheduling software, we anticipated the effort to complete the project could take twice as long and cost twice as much as projected and, even if that pessimistic prediction would turn out to be true, the result would still be worth it. It is taking twice as long, and it will be worth the work and wait.

The value will be in the low cost and high convenience for school administrators, and a platform – MHSAA.com – that presents the data in an environment that promotes the highest ideals of school sports.

Concussion Care Continuum

June 2, 2015

The concussion care continuum is of equal importance from start to finish, but some of the stops along the way are more in the MHSAA’s area of influence than others, so they are receiving more of our attention.

We would never say that removal-from-play decisions are more important than return-to-play decisions. However, because the removal decisions occur at school sports venues by school-appointed persons, while the latter are made at medical facilities by licensed medical personnel selected by students’ families, the MHSAA is giving the removal process more attention than the return.

This helps to explain why the MHSAA is orchestrating pilot programs where volunteering member schools will be testing systems during the 2015-16 school year that may assist sideline personnel at practices and contests when assessing if a concussion event has occurred and that player should be withheld from further activity that day. The buzz that these pilot programs is creating will increase everyone’s attention on improving sideline concussion management. For more information, click here.

The MHSAA has always believed it shared a role with local schools and health care facilities and professional organizations of coaches and school administrators in the education of coaches, athletes and parents. This remains our first and foremost focus on the concussion care continuum.

But the pilot programs, and more specific requirements beginning in 2015-16 to report head injury events, demonstrate that the MHSAA is moving further along the continuum to assist the entire concussion management team. As we do so, our focus is on all levels of all sports for both genders, grades 7 through 12, with attention to both practices and competition.