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Youth Sports Directors

Jenna's Law outlines specific responsibilities for youth sports organization directors. Under Jenna’s Law you must:

  • Ensure the coaches and referees in your organization receive annual training to learn how to recognize the symptoms of a concussion and how to seek proper medical treatment for a person suspected of having a concussion.

  • Adopt a policy that establishes: 1) the requirements of the training and 2) the procedures that ensure that every coach/referee receives this training.

  • Develop or use existing guidelines and materials to educate and inform all persons younger than 18 years desiring to be a member of your athletic team, their parent(s)/guardian(s), and their coaches about the symptoms and warning signs of a concussion.

  • Each member of a non-school athletic team, 12 years of age and older and at least 1 parent/guardian must acknowledge the receipt AND review of these legally mandated guidelines and educational materials prior to participation each year, and the acknowledgments must be documented through a tracking system.

In addition to the legal requirements, Jenna’s Law recommends:

  • Hold an informational meeting prior to the start of any season for each non-school athletic team regarding the symptoms and warning signs of concussions.

  • Any person who regularly serves as a coach/referee and who complies with the provisions outlined above is immune from civil or criminal liability related to head injury unless the person acted or failed to act because of gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct.

Resources

Coach Training Sites
Brain 101
CDC
NFHS
OSAA

Tools
Return to Play
Assemble a Concussion Management Team
Create a Concussion Management Plan
Example Youth Sports Organization Concussion Policy
Signs and Symptoms of Concussion
Post-Concussion Symptom Checklist
Emergency and Non-Emergency Concussion Guidelines
Download All (except example Concussion Policy)