Minimizing risks and promoting healthy living have always been on the minds of competent administrators and compassionate coaches, but recent events require that these caretakers of educational athletics do even more; and the MHSAA intends to help, with focus on three topics at this time.

• Heads – Prior to this school year, the MHSAA adopted tough return-to-play policies for students who, in any contest in any sport, exhibit concussion-like symptoms.  If any such student returns to play without the written authorization of an MD or DO, that student is an ineligible athlete and the contest is forfeited.
  
  During the 2011-12 school year, the MHSAA’s rules meetings, which are required for all varsity head coaches, will be devoted in significant portion to recognition of and care for head trauma.  MHSAA.com will continue to post and link to concussion prevention and care resources for players, parents, coaches and administrators.

•  Hearts – During this school year, the MHSAA approved two pre-participation physical examination forms developed with the consensus of a task force coordinated by the Michigan Department of Community Health.  One is the “long form” found on MHSAA.com that includes a health history as well as a clearance form.  The second is an expanded version of the hard copy “short form” which the MHSAA provides to member schools without charge.
  
  During the 2011-12 school year, the MHSAA’s series of Athletic Director In-Service programs will emphasize AEDs – not only that schools have them, but also that schools keep constituents current on the location and operation of these potentially life-saving devices.

• Heat – While it may be impossible to discover all pre-existing heart defects or to prevent every head injury, it is almost certain that serious injury or death from heat illness is preventable if common sense is utilized.  So once again, the MHSAA will be communicating in multiple ways with its constituents – and especially to fall sports coaches – about heat illness prevention.  Some of these communications will be repeated on MHSAA.com.

Much more than you read here will be occurring; and the efforts will continue long after public attention has turned to other topics. Visit the Health and Safety page of MHSAA.com for resources.