What Is a Concussion?
A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury—or TBI—caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or by a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move quickly back and forth. This fast movement can cause the brain to bounce around or twist in the skull, creating chemical changes in the brain and sometimes stretching and damaging the brain cells.
It’s better to miss a game, than miss an entire season. Let someone know if you feel any of the following symptoms:
- Headache or “pressure” in head.
- Nausea or vomiting.
- Balance problems or dizziness, or double or blurry vision.
- Bothered by light or noise.
- Feeling sluggish, hazy, foggy, or groggy.
- Confusion, or concentration or memory problems.
- Just not “feeling right,” or “feeling down.”
All team coaches and parents should brief themselves with the CDC information that can be found here
- Link to CDC concussion information
- The CDC’s parental overview is available <here>
Some SportsIowa specific notes:
- All SportsIowa staff and referees have completed the CDC Concussion awareness training. Certificates are on file in the office.
- SportsIowa, or it’s referees may remove any player at any time from any game for any reason, including suspicion of a concussion.
- Heading is not allowed at SportsIowa in leagues and tournaments younger than High School age. Per player, the first offense is a common foul, the second is a yellow card, the third is ejection from the game. (yep, we’re serious about that)