It is the policy of the Board that the risk of student injury be considered and addressed in the planning and implementation of every student activity sponsored by the Board. The Board therefore directs and requires that before beginning practice for a high school interscholastic and intramural sports activity, the coach/sponsor of the activity provide the parent of each high school student participant and each high school student participant with the information sheet on Student Concussions and acknowledgement form issued by the Indiana Department of Education, and require the student’s parent and the student to sign and return the form acknowledging the receipt of the information from the Indiana Department of Education on Student Concussions.

The Board also directs and requires that before beginning practice for an athletic activity, the coach/sponsor of the activity provide to each student athlete and his/her parent or legal guardian the information sheet on Sudden Cardiac Arrest and acknowledgement form issued by the Indiana Department of Education and require the student athlete and his/her parent or legal guardian sign and return to the student athlete's coach/sponsor the form acknowledging their receipt of the information from the Indiana Department of Education on Sudden Cardiac Arrest.

The coach/sponsor shall maintain an original of each signed acknowledgement form for each student participant and shall not allow the student athlete to participate in the sport until the signed acknowledgement form(s) from the parent and student is/are properly executed and returned.

A high school student athlete who is suspected of sustaining a concussion or head injury in a practice or game shall be removed from play at the time of the injury and may not return to play until the student athlete has been seen and evaluated by a licensed health care provider trained in the evaluation and management of concussions and head injuries, and the coach/sponsor receives a written clearance from the licensed healthcare provider who evaluated the student athlete that the student athlete can safely return to participation in the sport or activity.

A coach/sponsor shall maintain the original of the written clearance from the health care provider for the student athlete to return to play for no less than three (3) years.

A student athlete who is suspected of experiencing a symptom of sudden cardiac arrest in a practice for an athletic activity or in an athletic activity shall be removed from practice or play at the time that the symptom is identified, and the parent or legal guardian of the student athlete shall be notified of the student athlete's symptoms. A student athlete who has been removed from practice or play may not return to practice or play until the coach/sponsor has received verbal permission from a parent or legal guardian of the student athlete for him/her to return to practice and play. Within twenty-four (24) hours after giving verbal permission of the student athlete to return to practice and play, the parent or legal guardian must provide the coach/sponsor with a written statement that the student athlete has permission to return to practice and play.

Each coach or sponsor of an athletic activity shall receive training on concussions, sudden cardiac arrest (including the symptoms), cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and the use of an automated external defibrillator.

I.C. 20-34-7, 20-34-8

Adopted 10/18/12
Revised 4/13/15