Heads Up! US Youth Soccer and CDC Team Up
to Help Keep Young Athletes Safe from
Concussion
USYouthSoccer.org Health and Safety Resource Center – Concussion Information
FRISCO, Texas (March 31, 2011) – US Youth Soccer and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are proud to be teaming up to help protect participants of all youth sports who may be at risk of concussion. The campaign, is an expansion of the “Heads Up: Concussion in Youth Sports,” and will help get concussion information into the hands of coaches, parents, and school and health care professionals who are on the front-line to help identify and respond appropriately to concussions among young athletes.
A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury 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 rapidly back and forth. Concussions can have long-term impacts on young athletes, such as on their health, memory, and learning.
“Education is a core element to the goals of US Youth Soccer and furthering the awareness and steps to minimize potential serious injuries to our youth athletes is paramount,” said John Sutter, president of US Youth Soccer. “Concussions are serious and materials that are now available will get the right information about how to identify and manage a concussion directly into the hands of the people that need it the most – our youth sports coaches, parents and the athletes themselves.”
“Heads Up: Concussion in Youth Sports,” is designed to help coaches, parents, and fellow athletes recognize the symptoms of a concussion and provides actions that need to be taken when an athlete is showing signs of a concussion. Campaign materials are available at no cost and include:
- An online training for coaches;
- A fact sheet for coaches;
- A fact sheet for athletes;
- A fact sheet for parents;
- A magnet with concussion facts for coaches and parents;
- A poster with concussion facts for coaches and sports administrators; and
- A quiz for coaches, athletes, and parents.
Since youth sports administrators play a vital role in sharing educational materials with their coaches, the campaign encourages youth sports program administrators to order and distribute the materials to the coaches in their programs at the beginning of the sports season.
Youth sport administrators and coaches are encouraged to order as many materials as needed and/or download extra copies of the concussion fact sheets. CDC’s aim is to get the information into the hands – and heads – of all coaches, parents and athletes. Take the online training or order or download the “Heads Up” materials free-of-charge at www.cdc.gov/Concussion.
Additional copies of the fact sheets for athletes and parents can be downloaded or ordered, in English or Spanish, at: www.cdc.gov/ConcussionInYouthSports.
For more information about concussions, traumatic brain injury, or injury in general, visit USYouthSoccer.org Health and Safety Resource Center or the CDC Injury Center’s website at www.cdc.gov/Concussion.
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About the United States Youth Soccer Association (US Youth Soccer) – US Youth Soccer - "The Game for ALL Kids!®" is the largest youth sports organization in the country and largest member of the United States Soccer Federation, the governing body of soccer in the United States. US Youth Soccer registers more than 3 million players annually, ages 5 to 19, and over 900,000 administrators, coaches and volunteers in 55 member State Associations. US Youth Soccer programs provide a fun, safe and healthy environment for players at every level of the game. For more information, visit www.USYouthSoccer.org