Concussion & Return to Play Quick Guide
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Required By:
State of Ohio -
Who Completes It:
Coaches -
Frequency:
Players/parents will be provided with the information sheet annually during registration. Concussion training for coaches is completed biennially.
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What Is Required
- Players/parents/guardians must be presented with the Youth Sports Concussion Information Sheet from the Ohio Department of Health
- Coaches must complete one of two online concussion trainings, as required by the State of Ohio - either the CDC Heads Up training or the NFHS Concussion training
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Where Is It Completed:
Players/parents/guardians will be presented with the information sheet during registration to a member league or club. Coaches will fulfill this requirement by uploading their training certificate into Player’s Health.
Concussions
Overview
Ohio’s Return-to-Play law requires that Ohio youth athletes who are suspected of sustaining a concussion, MUST be removed from practice or play. Ohio laws prohibit a child to return to play (practice or competition) on the same day that he/she is removed on suspicion of having sustained a concussion. He/she may return the following day if cleared in writing by a physician (MD or DO) or other authorized healthcare provider that he/she did not sustain a concussion.
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, OSA follows the expectations set by the State of Ohio for its leagues, coaches, referees, officials, and athletes and their families.
See our Concussion Training Quick Guide for the following requirements and guidelines:
- Coach Training Requirements
- Parent/Guardian & Athlete Requirements
- Removal From Play
- Return To Play
Visit Ohio Department of Health for more information.
See also U.S. Soccer’s Head & Brain Conditions for additional guidelines and resources.
OSA and its member clubs, leagues, and sanctioned tournaments will create and enforce a safe sport culture that can lower an athlete’s chance of getting a concussion and create an environment that allows them to feel comfortable in reporting symptoms of a concussion.
Additionally, they will enforce the rules of the sport for fair play, safety, and sportsmanship. Ensure that athletes always avoid unsafe actions. Explain to athletes that good sportsmanship is always expected both on and off the field.
OSA encourages everyone to talk with athletes about the importance of reporting a concussion. Athletes may not report a concussion because they don’t think symptoms are severe enough or fear losing a position on the team, letting teammates down or looking weak. OSA and its member clubs, leagues, and sanctioned tournament staff, coaches and volunteers will provide positive messaging and praise to help make athletes comfortable with the Ohio Return-to-Play law removal and return to play processes.
Coach Training Requirements
Ohio’s Return-to-Play law requires than no person can act as a coach for OSA sanctioned activities until he/she has successfully completed a State of Ohio approved concussion training.
If OSA becomes aware and knows that a coach, referee, or official has failed to follow the law, he/she may be rendered ineligible to participate in OSA sanctioned activities.
Concussion training is the only training complete outside of one’s OSA risk account and then the completed/current concussion certificate is uploaded into one’s OSA risk account. Per OSA’s Safe Soccer Policy, concussion training must be completed every two (2) years through his/her OSA risk account.
Parent/Guardian & Player Requirements
Ohio’s Return-to-Play law requires Ohio Soccer Association (OSA) to provide to the parent/guardian or other person having care or charge of an individual who wishes to practice for or compete in an OSA sanctioned activity the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) Youth Sports Concussion Information Sheet annually.
OSA automatically includes this information sheet electronically for players who register directly in Demosphere.
Recreational leagues who do not register players directly through Demosphere are responsible for distributing the information sheet annually.
Removal from Play
Ohio Soccer Association (OSA) is committed to the health and well being of our athletes and follows Ohio’s Return-to-Play law which features three (3) key rules that its clubs, leagues, sanctioned tournaments, referees, officials, and athletes and their families must abide by.
- Coaches, referees, or officials must remove an athlete from play or practice who is exhibiting the signs, symptoms, or behaviors consistent with having sustained a concussion or head injury during a practice or game.
- The athlete cannot return to play on the same day that he or she is removed after exhibiting symptoms of a concussion.
- The athlete is not permitted to return to play or practice until he or she has been assessed by a physician (MD or DO) or licensed healthcare professional approved by OSA and received written clearance. Clubs, leagues, and sanctioned tournaments must be able to produce evidence of compliance with this obligation, which may require the club, league, or sanctioned tournament to retain the written clearance form and/or otherwise demonstrate that the league verified that the athlete was cleared to return to play.
Athletes that return to play too soon have greater risk of a repeat concussion which can be more serious in nature.
Return to Play
After a concussion is diagnosed, Ohio Soccer Association (OSA) and its member clubs, leagues, and sanctioned tournaments will allow an athlete to return to play or practice after being cleared by a physician (MD or DO) or licensed healthcare professional (LHP).
The physician or LHP must fully assess the athlete’s condition and state that it is safe for the athlete to return to practice or competition.
