NEW: MN Concussion Law and Required Training

The Minnesota Legislature recently passed a "Concussion Law" which requires any nonprofit organization that organizes a youth athletic activity and charges a fee to follow the statute's requirements, including implementing concussion training and education to improve player safety and establish safe return-to-play policies for athletes who sustain a concussion.

The law states that:

 All coaches (head and assistants) and officials receive concussion training and education by September 1, 2011, and then at three-year intervals thereafter.

1) Coaches must remove an athlete from activity if they exhibit signs, symptoms or behaviors consistent with a concussion and/or are suspected of sustaining a concussion.

2)  The law also requires a doctor's signature to return to play if an athlete is removed due to a concussion or is showing signs or symptoms of a concussion.

There is an online video training session developed by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the National Federation of State High Schools. This course requires registration but is free. The training process involves watching a video and then successfully completing a quiz. The entire training module can be completed in a little over a half an hour and then participants can print out a certificate on their desktop or print and scan the certificate to create a digital file.  

See the link below in order to complete the required training.  Certificates will need to be provided to LSGBA before being allowed to be a head coach or assistant coach for any team.