Concussion prevention and management strategies among University Interscholastic League high school football coaches and football athletic trainers in Texas

Concussions have proven to be a point of concern among coaches, athletic trainers, parents, and the athletes. This is particularly true among high school football programs in Texas. The current concussion management legislation has been in place for four years. This study aimed to analyze the concussion evaluation, prevention, and management practices found throughout UIL football programs, and to specifically compare the perceptions and practices of the head football coaches to those of the football athletic trainers. An internet-based survey was used to study the head football coach and football athletic trainer for a representative school in each of the competitive UIL districts. A total of 58 respondents completed the survey. Results indicated a strong influence from the Consensus Statement on Concussion in Sport: The 4`h International Conference on Concussion in Sport held in Zurich, November 2012, with most responders generally complying with the recommendations. Once a concussion is diagnosed in an athlete, coaches are as consistent with following protocols as athletic trainers. However, statistical differences were found in the diagnostic perceptions. Some coaches (26.1%) failed to categorize a "clinger" or "bell ringer" as a concussion while no athletic trainers made that error. Also, the data indicated that athletic trainers who played high school football tend to be more conservative with concussion management protocols than those who did not play. Recommendations for future research are made.