League to Debut Concussion Safety Video in Late Spring
By Jeanne Acton, Journalism Director | Friday, March 01, 2013 11:07 AM
In terms of medical issues, the University Interscholastic League pushes to be ahead of the curve to keep athletes safe.
“We have mandatory trainings for coaches, concussion protocols in place, mandatory physicals and much more” Deputy Director Dr. Jamey Harrison said. “Our coaches and many of our athletes are aware of these things, but our parents and the general public don’t always get that information. We haven’t done a good job advertising what we are doing.”
To solve that problem, Executive Director Charles Breithaupt and his executive team decided to create three-minute videos to provide information regarding processes and procedures the UIL has in place for the health and safety of students.
“The UIL staff believes the videos will bring attention to these important policies,” Dr. Breithaupt said. “In this manner, parents and students will have greater knowledge of what is available to them.”
The first video will focus on the safety protocols for concussions and will launch in late spring on the front page of the UIL website — uiltexas.org.
Dr. Harrison said it’s important to “get this message out and tell our safety story.”
“There is such a higher sense of fear about concussions and safety for athletes, and rightfully so,” he said. “We see scary and tragic stories about the NFL happening too often. When our president makes safety of athletes a national topic, it’s an important issue.”
But safety of athletes has always been an important issue at the League, Dr. Harrison said.
In 2001, the League created the Medical Advisory Committee (MAC) to focus on the four Hs— Head, Heart, Heat and Medical History. It was one of the first of its kind.
Since that time the League has created and mandated a number of new protocols to increase safety in athletics, said Dr. Harrison.
The committee has made recommendations on Automated External Defibrillators, physical forms, practice limitations, concussions and other medical issues . In fact, every recommendation the MAC has made to the Legislative Council has been unanimously adopted.
Dr. Harrison describes the MAC and the safety protocols UIL has adopted as “cutting edge.”
“We are a leader in creating safeguards to keep our athletes safe,” he said.
Dr. Harrison said in the upcoming months, the League plans to make additional informational safety videos.