7 Ways To Protect Young Athletes From Concussions
A 12-year-old takes a hard hit during a tackle football game. He gets up slowly, shakes his head, and tells his coach he is fine. The coach sends him back in.
Two plays later, the same kid takes another hit. This time, he does not get up.
That scenario plays out across youth sports fields every single week. And it does not have to.
Concussions are one of the most serious risks in youth sports. The CDC estimates that between 1.6 and 3.8 million sports-related concussions occur each year in the United States. Young athletes are especially vulnerable because their brains are still developing, which means the effects of a concussion can be more severe and longer-lasting than in adults.
After more than 50 years of insuring youth sports programs at Bene-Marc Youth Sports Insurance, we have seen how proper preparation makes all the difference. Here are seven steps every league director, coach, and camp operator should take to protect young athletes from concussions.
1. Adopt a written concussion protocol
Every youth sports program should have a concussion protocol in writing. This should include clear steps for identifying a possible concussion, removing the athlete from play, notifying parents, and requiring medical clearance before the athlete can return.
Do not rely on coaches to make these decisions on the fly. A written protocol takes the guesswork out of a high-pressure moment and protects everyone involved.
2. Train every coach, assistant, and volunteer
A concussion protocol only works if the people on the field know how to follow it. Require all coaches and volunteers to complete concussion awareness training before the season starts. Free resources are available through the CDC’s HEADS UP program, which offers online courses specifically designed for youth sports coaches.
3. Enforce a strict removal policy
“When in doubt, sit them out” is the gold standard. If a player shows any signs of a concussion, including headache, dizziness, confusion, nausea, sensitivity to light, or just seeming “off,” they must be removed from play immediately. No exceptions.
Returning to play too soon after a concussion significantly increases the risk of a more severe brain injury. This is not a call that should be left to the athlete, the parent, or even the coach. It should be a policy-level decision.
4. Require medical clearance for return to play
No athlete should return to practice or competition after a suspected concussion without written clearance from a licensed healthcare provider. This is not just a best practice. In most states, it is the law.
Make sure your coaches and parents understand this requirement before the season starts. It protects the athlete, and it protects your program from liability.
5. Use proper, well-maintained equipment
Helmets and protective gear should fit correctly and meet current safety standards. Inspect equipment regularly and replace anything that is damaged, outdated, or no longer fits properly.
While equipment alone cannot prevent concussions, it can reduce the severity of impacts. Combined with proper coaching and rules enforcement, good equipment is an important layer of protection.
6. Teach safe techniques from day one
In contact sports like youth tackle football, teaching proper tackling technique is one of the most effective ways to reduce head injuries. Programs like Heads Up Football have been shown to lower concussion rates by emphasizing shoulder-led tackling and reducing head-to-head contact.
For all sports, coaches should emphasize body control, spatial awareness, and respect for the rules. Many concussions happen not from the sport itself, but from reckless or untrained play.
7. Make sure your insurance covers concussion-related injuries
Even with every precaution in place, concussions can still happen. That is where excess accident medical coverage comes in. This coverage helps pay for a participant’s medical expenses when they are injured during a covered activity, filling the gap beyond what the family’s health insurance covers.
Concussion treatment can involve emergency room visits, neurological evaluations, follow-up appointments, and sometimes extended rest from all activities. Those costs add up. Excess accident medical coverage through Bene-Marc Youth Sports Insurance helps make sure families are not left with unexpected bills.
For youth football programs specifically, Bene-Marc Youth Sports Insurance covers participants up to age 15. For all other sports, coverage extends to age 18.
A story from the field
Imagine a youth tackle football league with 300 kids. Midway through the season, a 13-year-old takes a helmet-to-helmet hit during a game. The coaches follow the concussion protocol: they pull the player immediately, notify the parents, and document the incident. The family takes the child to the ER, where he is diagnosed with a mild concussion.
Because the league carried excess accident medical coverage, the family’s out-of-pocket costs for the ER visit and follow-up neurologist appointments were covered. The player returned to play three weeks later after receiving written medical clearance.
That is how it should work. The protocol was followed. The coverage was in place. And the child recovered safely.
As Robert Williams, one of our clients, shared, “My organization has worked with Bene-Marc for many years, and we have always found Lisa and her team so easy to work with. The response time is really fast, their attention to detail is impeccable.”
Protect your players, protect your program
Concussion prevention is a leadership responsibility. The programs that take it seriously protect their athletes, earn the trust of parents, and reduce their exposure to costly claims.
At Bene-Marc Youth Sports Insurance, we help thousands of youth sports programs across all 50 states prepare for the unexpected. Whether you need general liability, excess accident medical, or sexual abuse and molestation coverage, we are here to help.
Call us at 800-247-1734 or visit bene-marc.com. A real person will answer the phone.
Play hard, rest easy, knowing you are covered.
For free concussion training resources, visit the CDC’s HEADS UP program.
