Bloomington Fastpitch Association

Effective September 1, 2011 the State of Minnesota requires any municipality, business, or nonprofit organization that organizes a youth athletic activity for which an activity fee is charged to enforce and institute Statute [121A.37] YOUTH SPORTS PROGRAMS into their program.

• Make information accessible to all participating coaches, officials, and youth athletes and their parents or guardians about the nature and risks of concussions, including the effects and risks of continuing to play after receiving a concussion, and the protocols and content, consistent with current medical knowledge from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Require all participating coaches and officials to receive initial online training and online training at least once every three calendar years thereafter, consistent with clause (1) and the Concussion in Youth Sports online training program available on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site.
  • A coach or official shall remove a youth athlete from participating in any youth athletic activity when the youth athlete:

• exhibits signs, symptoms, or behaviors consistent with a concussion; or
• is suspected of sustaining a concussion.
• When a coach or official removes a youth athlete from participating in a youth athletic activity because of a concussion, the youth athlete may not again participate in the activity until the youth athlete:
  • no longer exhibits signs, symptoms, or behaviors consistent with a concussion; and
  • is evaluated by a provider trained and experienced in evaluating and managing concussions and the provider gives the youth athlete written permission to again participate in the activity

In support to Statute 121A.37, Bloomington Fastpitch Association has approved and adopted the following requirements for its membership including players, parents, officials and coaches.

• Annually, the players and parents/legal guardians must sign the “BFA CONCUSSION PARENT/PLAYER INFO SHEET” as a requirement to completing BFA’s registration process. This will become an attachment to the player registration and waiver documents.
   
• Annually, Coaches and Assistant Coaches must sign the “BFA COACHES FACT SHEET ON CONCUSSION IN YOUTH SPORTS SHEET” and, complete the online concussion training course provided by the Center for Disease Control (or a like substitute approved by BFA) before conducting any instruction or coaching activity on behalf of BFA. This education is available at no charge to the coaches.
   
  • Coaches shall educate their athletes on the signs and symptoms of concussion and encourage athletes to notify a coach if they or a teammate exhibits those signs or symptoms.
     
• Coaches shall immediately remove from participation/competition any athlete who is suspected of sustaining a concussion or head injury – “when in doubt, sit them out”.
   
  • Coaches shall not allow an athlete who has been removed from play because of a suspected concussion/brain injury to return to play until the athlete has received written clearance from a licensed health care provider trained in the evaluation and management of brain injuries.