Reporting Concussion and other Injuries to the NCJLA
In order to improve the safety of the sport, the NCJLA requests that all teams report any injuries that happen during practices or games that cause the player to miss playing or practice time and/or to visit a medical provider. As a result of the adoption of the State of California Health and Safety Code 124235(b)(3) all suspected incidences of a concussion are required to be reported via the NCJLA Concussion and Serious Injury Report form. Club administrators, coaches, and parents are required to complete the form as part of the Return to Play Protocol. Club administrators are required to update the clearance to play information before an athlete can return to play. Please keep a record of your initial report. The NCJLA recommends that the Club President or the club designee complete and track the injuries reported to the NCJLA. Documentation can be requested by the NCJLA at any time.
This information will only be used in efforts to improve the safety of the sport and to comply with the CA Health and Safety Code. Team and player information will never be shared publicly.
NCJLA Concussion and Serious Injury Report
Concussions
Visit the US Lacrosse site for information about concussions. The latest information on the ever-increasing body of knowledge on concussions is updated regularly on their site. Please note that there is a lot of information on the US Lacrosse site and it extensively references the Center for Disease Control site. Please make sure that you scroll all the way down the page so you see all the information available. The NCJLA Operations Guide has specific instructions for clubs regarding this requirement in section 12 Coaches Certification and section 14 Parents.
US Lacrosse Concussion Information Site
Center for Disease Control Website
As part of the CA Health and Safety Code 124235(b)(3) all club administrators, coaches, and parents are required to complete annual concussion prevention and/or awareness training. Clubs are required to keep on file all of the signed waivers and training certificates listed below. As part of the coaches certification process, all clubs must submit the completion date of the Concussion Training Certificate on the coaches spreadsheet submitted to the NCJLA the second Saturday in February. All waivers and training certificates are good for 1 calendar year. Below is a list of annual training requirements:
Parents:
- Receive Concussion and Head Injury information
- Must sign parent waiver stating that they have received the information and understand the risks (Sample form HERE)
- This form can be integrated into League Athletics Registration, may use an electronic signature or upload as an attachment
Players:
- Receive Concussion and Head Injury information
- Must sign a player waiver stating that they have received the information and understand the risks (Sample Form HERE)
- Customizable forms HERE (Spanish version, team logos, language for youth under age 12, etc)
- This form can be integrated into League Athletics Registration, may use an electronic signature or upload as an attachment
All Coaches and Club Administrators:
- Receive Concussion and Head Injury Education
- Successfully complete concussion and head injury education either online or in person before supervising an athlete in an activity (CDC Online Course HERE)
- CIF coaches may submit their NFHS concussion training certificate in lieu of the HeadsUp CDC training.
Documents from the Center for Disease Control & Prevention:
On-Field Concussion Diagnosis and Actions
This is the action card that the NCJLA recommends each team uses if they suspect that player is concussed. Please note that concussions have a wide variety of symptoms and potential causes it is best practice to have an authorized medical provider diagnose an athlete.
CDC Pocket Guide
NCJLA HeadsUp Concussion Action Plan
Return to Play Protocol:
1. Remove athlete from play
2. Ensure that the athlete is evaluated by a health care professional experienced in evaluating for concussion. Do not try to judge the seriousness of the injury yourself.
3. Inform Parents or Guardians of the suspected concussion or injury and give them the Concussion fact sheet.
4. Complete the NCJLA Serious Injury Report online within 24 hours of the incident.
5. Keep the athlete out of play the day of the injury. An athlete should only return to play with permission from a health care professional, who is experienced in evaluating for concussion. (Documentation must be on official medical practice letterhead, with wet signature and unconditional clearance to return to play).
AEDs
Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is the #1 cause of death in the U.S., taking more than 400,000 lives each year. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends a specific four-step "Chain-of-Survival" for SCA. The hallmarks of this sequence, which are well documented as dramatically increasing survival rates, are:
1) Early 911 Access
2) Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
3) Early Defibrillation with an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and
4) Early Advanced Life Support (ALS).
US Lacrosse AED FAQ Page
NOCSAE Announces Two Lacrosse Helmets are Non-Compliant with Standard
The National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE) has notified US Lacrosse that two lacrosse helmet models do not meet the NOCSAE helmet standard, ND041. The two models are the Cascade Model R and the Warrior Regulator.
Additional Information:
- NOCSAE’s public statement can be found here
- US Lacrosse’s Article can be found here
- Cascade’s Statement can be found here
- Update: Cascade's instructions to ship helmets for certification can be found here
- Warrior’s Statement can be found here
Until this issue is remedied by the manufacturers these helmets are not legal to wear in any form of gameplay.
We plan to keep this page updated with any further information.
