Ohio Return To Play Law
Info on the new laws requirements (updated 3/16)...
See Spring Season Starting Instructions at bottomIn order to protect young athletes, the State of Ohio has passed a concussion law, commonly called the “Return to Play” law. This law, similar to laws enacted in most other states, imposes training, safety, and awareness requirements on youth sports organizations, like OSYSA, and its leagues, tournaments, coaches, referees, officials, and athletes and their families.
A concussion is a brain injury and all brain injuries are serious. They may be caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head, or by a blow to another part of the body with the force transmitted to the head. They can range from mild to severe and can disrupt the way the brain normally works. Even though most concussions are mild, all concussions are potentially serious and may result in complications including prolonged brain damage and death if not recognized and managed properly.
Because of the significant health concern posed by the risk of concussions, and because of the Return to Play laws enacted by the State of Ohio, OSYSA is instituting the following expectations of its leagues, coaches, referees, officials, and athletes and their families.Details Please read the detailed information published Friday 2/8 on the Ohio South site - Ohio South Concussion Education
mvysa Actions
Links to required coaches training and the form that is required to be given to all player parents who are participating in training, practices, scrimmages, and games are on the mvysa.com forms page. Both are required by April 26, 2013.
The law requires that coaches retrain every 3 years.
An acceptable alternative to the free online courses required of all coaches is the Pupil Activity Permit (“PAP”) issued by the Ohio Department of Education. PAPs are typically held by individuals who also coach at a high school or middle school. However that PAP training needs to have included concussion recognition training.
Added 2/14 - While the law allows coaches to provide evidence of training from either the CDC, NFHS or PAP, the NFHS course is required by Ohio South for ODP, OSSL, State Cup and Presidents Cup!
Teams can upload (use mvysa online registration system), FAX (937-640-3156), email (office@mvysa.com), mail or bring the required Concussion Training Certificates for all of their carded coaches to the mvysa office. Required by April 26, 2013
mvysa's team registration system has been updated to include uploading and tracking of the Concussion Training Certificate that are now required of every carded coach.
How To Register a Team and How To Add a Coach documents have been updated.Spring Season Starting Instructions
1. All carded mvysa coaches must take an approved Concussion Training Course and provide a copy of the certificate to mvysa by April 26, 2013. They need to do one of these 3 approved courses - PAP, NFHS, or CDC. Course links and instructions are on the mvysa Forms page. They are free and take about 20 minutes. The NFHS course is the recommended choice. You can upload the certificate online, mail, email or FAX it to the mvysa office. We prefer that they are uploaded.
2. Coaches of each team are required to give the parents of all players a copy of the Parent Concussion Information Sheet that can be found on the mvysa.com Forms page by April 26. Sooner would be better. You may give them a hard copy or send it to them via email.
3. Beginning April 26 you must remove from training, practice, scrimmages or games any player who exhibits signs, symptoms, or behaviors consistent with having sustained a concussion or head injury while participating in the practice or competition.
4. Once removed a player cannot return to any training, practice, or scrimmage or game the same day.
5. The player must be assessed by a physician and the coach of the team must receive a written clearance from that physician before the player can return to play. That clearance will most often have a return to play regimen to gradually increase the level of participation.
6. The law does NOT give the opposing coach power to force you to remove your player. However any wise coach who is told of a serious problem by the opposing coach will likely remove and assess the player in question. When in doubt, set them out!
7. A referee covering or an official supervising (ie trainer) any training or a game is also required to follow this rule (no. 3 and 4) above.
8. If a player is removed from training, practice, a scrimmage or game who exhibits signs, symptoms, or behaviors consistent with having sustained a concussion or head injury you must tell the parents ASAP, remind them of the info sheet they got and let them know you will have to have the written clearance from a physician before the player can return to participate in any practice, training, scrimmages or games.
9. While the law doesn't go into effect until April 26 and the mvysa board is still working on the details of how we will handle removals and return to play, Ken and Gene recommend that you begin complying to the Return to Play law now. For your protection, we suggest if a player is removed from play that you email office@mvysa.com with details and send us a copy of the written clearance to the mvysa office.
Miami Valley Youth Soccer Association
7029 Taylorsville Road, Suite A
Huber Heights, OH 45424 USA office@mvysa.com
Phone (937) 684-4241, FAX (937) 640-3156, Text (937) 360-4356
