[Summary Documents] Medical Authority, Academic Authority, and Sports Authority — Youth Football Scenarios
The article contains brief information for stakeholders involved in the youth football ecosystem to understand, prevent, and manage concussions in children and adolescents. Following best practices supports crucial development processes in the population such as myelination and synaptic pruning for smooth transition into emerging adulthood.
Project Overview and Goals
Adolescents prefer independent decision making and rely on authoritative information and evidence to consider alternative options recommended by caregivers. Coaches are often not informed of concussions due to heading frequency in football. For example, the Scottish Football Association advises “low priority heading for youth” — 14s and 15s are to practice not more than one heading session per week. However, this has not been implemented and many coaching clubs have three sessions in one week.
To assist this age group in assessing risk, the participation of sports authorities, academic authorities, and medical authorities is required, who in turn, may be supported by available research evidence base. An informed ecosystem will ensure young athletes know when to report a concussion and prioritize optimal health for smooth transition into emerging adulthood.
This project is intended to inform of concussions from heading in youth football. The education is based on a comprehensive literature review based on evidence from the past five years.
