Concussion Story
March 22, 2016
“The national narrative is not our story.” That’s been the mindset of the Michigan High School Athletic Association on many sports issues; and it’s never been more necessary than now, on the topic of concussions.
Hollywood’s December release of the movie “Concussion” and revelation after revelation of diseased NFL veterans tend to condemn professional football. But, in spite of its bad press, the NFL product roars on, setting records for its reach and revenue. Apparently the NFL is “too big to fail,” so critics of football attack an easier target – amateur, and especially, youth football. Other critics call for an end to football but swallow their whistle regarding boxing and even more barbaric ultimate fighting.
In sharp contrast, we hope, to the hypocrisy of the national narrative is the story of school sports in Michigan. We cannot speak for levels above or below us, but school-sponsored football has never been safer, for obvious reasons – the equipment has never been more protective; coaches have never received more health and safety training; playing rules have never been more safety-oriented; and officials have never had more authority to penalize unsafe play.
But in our story, football is not the only topic. Our health and safety narrative addresses all sports and both genders; and the 2015-16 school year provides three significant examples.
Mandated Concussion Reports – The MHSAA required for the first time this year that member high schools report possible concussions by their student-athletes. This is in all sports, both practice and competition, for both girls and boys. While reports are tentative for winter sports and it’s very early in the spring sports season, it is likely that in each case it will be a girls sport that has the most concussions, underscoring that school sports must be concerned about concussions in all sports and both genders.
Sideline Concussion Detection – The MHSAA last fall became the first state association to offer pilot sideline concussion testing, with 62 schools taking part in one of two programs. Among the objectives of the pilot programs was to increase awareness of concussions and improve sideline detection; and preliminary results indicate that the average number of possible concussions reported by pilot schools exceeds the average reported by schools outside the pilot group.
Concussion Care Insurance – The MHSAA also is the first state association to provide all participants at every member high school and junior high/middle school with insurance intended to pay accident medical expense benefits – covering deductibles and co-pays left unpaid by other policies – resulting from head injuries sustained during school practices or competitions. This coverage is at no cost to either schools or families.
While the insurance program will produce additional data about the frequency and severity of head injuries, the principal purpose of this initiative is to assure that families with no insurance, or insurance with high deductibles or co-pays, will not delay in seeking prompt, professional medical attention if their child shows signs of concussion after a practice or competition.
Again, this insurance is for all sports, both practice and competition, for both boys and girls; and it’s for all MHSAA member schools, grades 7 through 12. It will apply to the 6th grade for those school districts which join the MHSAA at the 6th-grade level, which is possible for the first time in 2016-17.
Who’s Listening?
August 1, 2014
In an organization as diverse as this one, including that some schools are located more than a 10-hour drive from others and some schools are 100 times larger than others, differences of opinion about policies, procedures and programs are inevitable – and so are complaints about the decisions the organization makes.
One of the criticisms that decision-makers can count on from constituents is that they don’t listen well to or consult adequately with those affected by their decisions. Generally, such criticism comes from those who favored a different decision. They complain about the process when it’s really the result of the process that bothers them.
From where I sit, sometimes the target of such criticism, I often wonder if the pot is calling the kettle black. I wonder if the critics are listening attentively or at all to their own constituents. For example:
- While a significant minority of school administrators complain of the burdens of the MHSAA’s increasing requirements for coaches education focused on health and safety, nearly 100 percent of their parents want even more than the MHSAA is mandating – they want what we’re requiring sooner than we are requiring it, and they want even more required.
- While it’s only slightly more than half of school administrators who want the MHSAA’s role and authority to begin before the 7th grade and want schools running those younger grade level sports programs, nearly 100 percent of students and their parents want these things to happen, and they have for a long time.
When I bring these two topics up to students or speak to local parent groups or county school board associations, I can count on getting an earful of impatient suggestions.
So while some school administrators might complain that the MHSAA isn’t listening well enough to them, I wonder if those critics are listening well enough to their own constituents.