CONCUSSION INFO for BVL PARENTS: 

Thanks to BVL parent Alison Freeman for her compilation of important knowledge about concussion symptoms, responses, and protocol found on this page. 

Concussion awareness is tremendously important in youth sports today.   The State of Colorado has passed one of the strictest laws in the country regarding concussion awareness and treatment for youth athletes, which impacts Boulder Valley Lacrosse players, coaches, and parents. 

In 2011, Colorado passed the "Jake Snakenberg Act."  The basic provisions of the legislation mandate that: 

1. All coaches and trainers involved in the coaching and training of youth athletic teams

comprised of children 11 years of age or older are required to complete an annual concussion

recognition education course.

2. If a coach suspects that a youth athlete has sustained a concussion following an

observed or suspected blow to the head or body in a game, competition, or practice, the coach is

required to immediately remove the athlete from the game, competition, or practice.

3. If a youth athlete is removed from play and the signs and symptoms cannot be readily

explained by a condition other than concussion, the athlete may not return to play in any

supervised team activities involving physical exertion until the parents or legal guardians have

been notified and until the athlete is evaluated by a health-care provider and receives written

clearance to return to play from the health-care provider.

In response, Boulder Valley Lacrosse requires that all coaches agree to complete annual concussion training online, in our mandatory coaches' registration. 

And it's important to note that the Snakenberg Act does not allow for parents to make an independent determination to waive or avoid the requirement for an evaluation by a health-care provider.  Therefore our coaches must remove any athlete from play for even the slightest suspicion of a potential concussion,and keep them out of play until a medical provider has cleared him. 

We strongly recommend that ALL of our BVL parents take the same course, which should take about 30 minutes of your time:  http://www.cdc.gov/headsup/index.html 

Parents and coaches should also read the following fact sheets compiled by Alison Freeman about concussions:

Concussion Signs & Symptoms

Concussion Summary for Coaches

Concussion Summary for Parents