Parents and student athletes must take concussion education training before sports tryouts

Effective beginning with all fall sports for the 2011-12 school year, all student athletes and their parents or guardians will be required to attend a concussion education session provided by their respective middle and high schools. Attendance at one of these sessions is required before a student will be allowed to try out for any sport. Participation in the concussion education session is mandated by state law (Virginia Code 22.1-271.5). A concussion is a brain injury that is characterized by an onset of impairment of cognitive and/or physical functioning, and is caused by a blow to the head, face, or neck, or to the body that causes a sudden jarring of the head (e.g., a helmet to the head, being knocked to the ground). A concussion can occur with or without loss of consciousness.

Prince William County Public Schools supports the need to ensure that its staff, students, and the community are aware of the seriousness of brain injuries and concussions and how they can affect the student’s abilities in the educational setting. In April 2011, the Prince William County School Board adopted a concussion policy that meets the Virginia Code. The law requires parents and students to sign a form attesting that they received training prior to any level of student participation in athletics. The date and time for this education presentation for each middle and high school will be provided by the schools after July 1. Parents are encouraged to contact their child’s school for an up-to-date presentation schedule during July.