Westport Baseball & Softball

Protocol for Reporting Suspected Concussions & Injuries

Overview of Coach's Responsibility:

If anyone is injured at a game or practice, the coach must:

1. electronically submit the Westport Baseball & Softball (WBS) Injury Report Form located on our website,
2. contact the parent/guardian immediately and confirm they are aware of the injury, and
3. email their relevant league official (listed below) to alert them of the injury and report submission.

 If a concussion is SUSPECTED, the coach must also additionally:

4. remove the child from play immediately, and
5. not allow the child to return to play unless the coach receives the WBS Return-to-Play Certification Form signed by both a parent/guardian AND a medical professional/trainer.

What to Report:  

An incident that causes any player, manager, coach, umpire, volunteer or spectator to receive medical treatment and/or first aid must be reported by team coaches to the  relevant WBS league official(s) of each sport (listed below) within 48 hours of the incident. This includes even passive, on-field treatments such as the evaluation and diagnosis of the  injury, its severity  and periods of rest.

How to Make the Report:

All incidents must be reported by completing and electronically submitting the WBS Injury Report Form located on our website.  Reports should include:  (i) information about the person involved, (ii) date, time, and location of the incident, (iii) as detailed a description of the incident as possible, (iv)preliminary estimate of the extent of  the injuries, and (v) name and phone number of the person reporting the incident.

Who to Notify:

In addition to the online form, incidents must be reported immediately by email or phone to the appropriate league official(s):

Little League Baseball

Jim Kabakow, Vice President – Little League Baseball, at , and to

Nick Zinzi, Player Agent – Little League Baseball, at .

Little League & Travel Softball 

Stephen Axthelm, Vice President –  Softball, at

Youth Travel Baseball

Mark Rothenberg, Vice President - Youth Travel Baseball, at mrothenberg@westportlittleleague.com

Advanced Baseball

Mark Lindwall, Co-Vice President - Advanced Baseball, at , and to

Joe Glennon, Co-Vice President - Advanced Baseball, at jglennon@westportlittleleague.com

WHAT SHOULD A COACH DO IF A CONCUSSION IS SUSPECTED?

Coaches must follow the CDC Heads-up protocol as  learned in their concussion training provided by the CDC. 

(FACT SHEET link on website:

http://www.cdc.gov/headsup/pdfs/custom/headsupconcussion_fact_sheet_coaches.pdf)

No matter whether the athlete is a key member of the team or the game is about to end, an athlete with a suspected concussion should be immediately removed from play. To help you know how to respond, follow the Heads Up four step action plan:

1. REMOVE THE ATHLETE FROM PLAY. Look for signs and symptoms of a concussion if your athlete has experienced a bump or blow to the head or body. When in doubt, sit them out!
2. ENSURE THAT THE ATHLETE IS EVALUATED BY AN APPROPRIATE HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL. Do not try to judge the severity of the injury yourself. Health care professionals have a number of methods that they can use to assess the severity of concussions. As a coach, recording the following information can help health care professionals in assessing the athlete after the injury: •  Cause of the injury and force of the hit or blow to the head or body •  Any loss of consciousness (passed out/knocked out) and if so, for how long •  Any memory loss immediately following the injury •  Any seizures immediately following the injury •  Number of previous concussions (if any)
3. INFORM THE ATHLETE’S PARENTS OR GUARDIANS. Let them know about the possible concussion and give them the Heads Up fact sheet for parents. This fact sheet can help parents monitor the athlete for sign or symptoms that appear or get worse once the athlete is at home or returns to school.
4. KEEP THE ATHLETE OUT OF PLAY. An athlete should be removed from play the day of the injury and until an appropriate health care professional says they are symptom-free and it’s OK to return to play. After you remove an athlete with a suspected concussion from practice or play, the decision about return to practice or play is a medical decision.

If a suspected concussion has been identified, then the injured person or his/her parents/guardians  must provide the his/her coach and the relevant WBS league official(s)  with the following documents before being allowed to return to play (whether practices or games):

1. No Concussion:

                A completed and signed WBS Return-to-Play Certification Form or note from a medical professional indicating that no concussion was suffered.

2. Concussion: in the case of a concussion, 

                A completed WBS Return-to-Play Certification Form signed by, or note from, a medical professional that the injured person is cleared to return-to-play

                                                                AND

                A completed  WBS Return-to-Play Certification Form signed by  a parent/guardian confirming that the WBS return-to-play concussion protocol has been completed .