The Alaska School Activities Association Board recommends to it’s member school districts that they implement the following Sports Medicine recommendations into school district policy.
COVID-19
• Students who are either presumed positive or positive of having contracted COVID-19 should be cleared by their medical provider and do a return to play protocol prior to returning to activities.
CONCUSSION
• Schools should follow the “return to play” protocol for any student with a suspected concussion regardless of how the concussion happened.
• School districts should follow the Recommendations & Guidelines for Minimizing Head Impact Exposure and Concussion Risk in Football found in the Football Policies and Procedures section of the ASAA Handbook.
EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN
• Schools should adopt the “Anyone Can Save A Life” or comparable program.
• Schools should have an automated external defibrillator (AED) at each practice and competition.
• Schools should write, review and annually rehearse an emergency action plan (EAP) for each venue used for practice or competition.
HEAT ILLNESS
• The NFHS online course “Heat Illness Prevention” should be taken by baseball, cross country running, football, soccer softball, tennis, and track & field coaches.
MEDICAL PERSONEL
• Schools should attempt, when possible, to have qualified medical personnel on site for athletic contests.
• Schools should hire athletic trainers.
• Allow team medical staff to move freely from the 20 yard line to 20 yard line while respecting the 2 yard barrier in football.
• Allow team medical staff to move freely from the 40 yard line to the 15 yard line while respecting the 10′ barrier in soccer.
• Allow 2 medical personnel into the hockey coach box in addition to the 5 team personnel as allowed by the NFHS.