Student-Athlete Resources

Form Required For Athletic Participation-All Seasons

Concussion Information & Inter-Scholastic Permission Form

Related Links for Concussions

Dominic Murray Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention 
Dominic Murray Prev. Act
Dominic Murray Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention Act
Student Parent Concussion Information

Student-Parent Concussion Information
Student Parent Concussion Info 

Summary of Concussion Management  & Awareness Act
Concussion Management

Hicksville UFSD - Return to Play Following a Concussion

Any athlete suspected of having a concussion or removed from participation because of a traumatic brain injury or concussion must first have medical clearance from a physician or appropriate health care provider before beginning this clearance program. They must move through this program regardless of the physician's note.

The health care provider may or may not order a CT scan or MRI. However, if these tests are performed and are normal, that should not rule out the presence of a mild traumatic brain injury.

To further understand, if you were to drop a heavy object on your foot, in all likelihood it would result in swelling, redness and pain. An x-ray may be negative, because there was no fracture or anatomic disruption, however, the bruise still exists resulting in pain, redness, swelling, etc... The pain and inflammation will persist, until enough time passes with limitation of activity and rest for the injury to heal, noted by the resolution of all signs and symptoms.

Once the athlete has received full medical clearance by his physician, or health care provider, the next step is an evaluation for cognitive ability and impairment. Current data shows that inflammation resulting from traumatic brain injury alters the ability of the brain to transmit signals normally, thus resulting in cognitive impairment. When the injury has healed, transmission returns to normal, and cognitive ability returns to normal. Ideally, it would be helpful to baseline all athletes before the season begins -this is not absolutely necessary since the computerized programs create baselines from their data base, and the scored evaluations are based on standards developed during their initial research.

It is important to recognize that the cognitive assessments currently available are extremely useful tools. The critical aspect of this step it that a cognitive assessment is performed, regardless of which method is utilized.

Attached are the SAC – Sideline Assessment of Concussion as an example of a cognitive ability assessment that can be utilized to assess cognitive function.  Cognitive assessment should always include a review of symptoms prior to administration of the test.

(For Cognitive assessment you can use "Impact" (computerized program) or download SAC (sideline assessment of concussion) or SCAT II, and BESS (for part 3) from the internet.)

Following return of normal cognitive ability, the athlete is ready to advance to the next phase of the return-to-play protocol.

There are three sequential levels of activity which must be completed prior to return to play:

            1 – Agility, balance, and coordination

            2 – Low impact, non-strenuous, drills which should be sport relative

            3 – Full contact, strenuous drills in a practice setting

If the athlete is able to advance through the first three steps without the return of any symptoms, he may return to participation. If, during or after activity, the athlete has a return of any symptoms consistent with a concussion, activity must cease immediately, and the parent should be notified.

Following a complete resolution of all symptoms and duration of rest suggested by the examiner, the athlete may return to activity at the beginning of the last level he was unable to complete.

Completing the 3 levels of activity symptom free completes the concussion clearance evaluation and the athlete may return to full activity.

Dr. Karl Friedman MD

Hicksville Union Free School District Physician
Physician for Long Island Football Championships, NYS Lacrosse Championships, Official in Varsity Football, Basketball and Lacrosse, Member of Section 8 Safety Committee,  Former Member of the National Federation Sports Medicine Advisory Committee

Protocol and Procedures for Management of Sport-Related Concussion

Medical management of sports-related concussion is evolving. In recent years, there has been a significant amount of research into sports-related concussion in high school athletes. Hicksville High School has established this protocol to provide education about concussion for athletic department staff and other school personnel.  This protocol outlines procedures for staff to follow, managing head injuries, and outlines school policy as it pertains to return to play issues after concussion.

Hicksville High School seeks to provide a safe return to activity for all athletes after injury, particularly after a concussion. In order to effectively and consistently manage these injuries, procedures have been developed to aid in insuring that concussed athletes are identified, treated and referred appropriately, receive appropriate follow-up medical care during the school day and are fully recovered prior to returning to activity.

In addition to recent research, two (2) primary documents were consulted in developing this protocol. The "Consensus statement on concussion in sport – The 3rd International Conference on concussion in sport, Zurich 2008" (referred to in this document as the Zurich statement), and the "National Athletic Trainers Association Position Statement: Management of Sport-Related Concussion" (referred to in this document as the NATA Statement).

This protocol will be reviewed on a yearly basis, by the Hicksville High School medical staff. Any changes or modifications will be reviewed and given to the athletic department staff and appropriate school personnel in writing.

All athletic department staff will attend a yearly in-service meeting in which procedures for managing sports-related concussion are discussed.

How important are fluids?

Fluid replacement is probably the most important nutritional concern for athletes. Approximately 60% of your body weight is water. As you exercise, fluid is lost through your skin as sweat and through your lungs when you breathe. If this fluid is not replaced at regular intervals during exercise, you can become dehydrated.

When you are dehydrated, you have a smaller volume of blood circulating through your body. Consequently, the amount of blood your heart pumps with each beat decreases and your exercising muscles do not receive enough oxygen from your blood. Soon exhaustion sets in and your athletic performance suffers.

If you have lost as little as 2% of your body weight due to dehydration, it can adversely affect your athletic performance. For example, if you are a 150-pound athlete and you lose 3 pounds during a workout, your performance will start to suffer unless you replace the fluid you have lost. Proper fluid replacement is the key to preventing dehydration and reducing the risk of heat injury during training and competition.

How can I prevent dehydration?

The best way to prevent dehydration is to maintain body fluid levels by drinking plenty of fluids before, during, and after a workout or race. Often athletes are not aware that they are losing body fluid or that their performance is being impacted by dehydration.

If you are not sure how much fluid to drink, you can monitor your hydration using one of these methods.

Weight: Weigh yourself before practice and again after practice. For every pound you lose during the workout you will need to drink 2 cups of fluid to rehydrate your body.

Urine color: Check the color of your urine. If it is a dark gold color like apple juice, you are dehydrated. If you are well hydrated, the color of your urine will look like pale lemonade.
Thirst is not an accurate indicator of how much fluid you have lost. If you wait until you are thirsty to replenish body fluids, then you are already dehydrated. Most people do not become thirsty until they have lost more than 2% of their body weight. And if you only drink enough to quench your thirst, you may still be dehydrated.

Keep a water bottle available when working out and drink as often as you want, ideally every 15 to 30 minutes. High school and junior high school athletes can bring a water bottle to school and drink between classes and during breaks so they show up at workouts hydrated.

What about sport drinks?

Researchers have found that sports drinks containing between 6% and 8% carbohydrate (sugars) are absorbed into the body as rapidly as water and can provide energy to working muscles that water cannot. This extra energy can delay fatigue and possibly improve performance, particularly if the sport lasts longer than 1 hour. If you drink a sports drink, you can maintain your blood sugar level even when the sugar stored in your muscles (glycogen) is running low. This allows your body to continue to produce energy at a high rate.

Drinks containing less than 5% carbohydrate do not provide enough energy to improve your performance. So, athletes who dilute sports drink are most likely not getting enough energy from their drink to maintain a good blood sugar level. Drinking beverages that exceed a 10% carbohydrate level (most soda pop and some fruit juices) often have negative side effects such as abdominal cramps, nausea, and diarrhea and can hurt your performance.

What does the sodium in sports drinks do?
Sodium is an electrolyte needed to help maintain proper fluid balance in your body. Sodium helps your body absorb and retain more water. Researchers have found that the fluid from an 8-ounce serving of a sports drink with 6% carbohydrates (sugars) and about 110 mg of sodium absorbs into your body faster than plain water.

Some parents, coaches, and athletes are concerned that sports drinks may contain too much sodium. However, most sports drinks are actually low in sodium. An 8-ounce serving of Gatorade has a sodium content similar to a cup of 2% milk. Most Americans do get too much sodium, but usually from eating convenience-type foods, not from sports drinks.

What are guidelines for fluid replacement?
Drink a sports drink containing 6% to 8% carbohydrate to help give you more energy during intense training and long workouts. To figure out the percentage of carbohydrate in your drink use the following formula:
grams of carbohydrate/serving X 100 = % of carbohydrate in drink ml of drink/serving

For example, 240 ml (a 1 cup serving) of a drink with 24 grams of carbohydrate per serving would have a 10% carbohydrate concentration. Almost all drinks have the grams of carbohydrate per serving and the volume in ml somewhere on the container.

Drink a beverage that contains a small amount of sodium and other electrolytes (like potassium and chloride).

Find a beverage that tastes good; something cold and sweet is easier to drink.

Drink 10 to 16 ounces of cold fluid about 15 to 30 minutes before workouts. Drinking a sports drink with a 6% to 8% carbohydrate level is useful to help build up energy stores in your muscles, particularly if the workout will last longer than 1 hour.

Drink 4 to 8 ounces of cold fluid during exercise at 10 to 15 minute intervals.

Start drinking early in your workout because you will not feel thirsty until you have already lost 2% of your body weight; by that time your performance may have begun to decline.

Avoid carbonated drinks, which can cause gastrointestinal distress and may decrease the the fluid volume.

Avoid beverages containing caffeine and alcohol due to their diuretic effect.

Practice drinking fluids while you train. If you have never used a sports drink don't start during a meet or on race day. Use a trial-and-error approach until you find the drink that works for you.

Precompetition Meals
The precompetition meal serves two purposes: to keep you from feeling hungry before and during the event and to maintain the levels of sugar in your blood for your exercising muscles to use during training and competition.

Many young athletes often skip meals before they train or workout, especially if the workout is in the early morning. Skipping meals or not eating before an early morning workout lowers the stored energy in your body and can impair your performance, particularly if your workout involves endurance training that lasts 30 minutes or longer.

When should I eat my precompetition meal?
Your stomach should not be full during your event. In general, it takes 1 to 4 hours for your stomach to digest a meal and empty it into your intestines. If you are nervous the digestive process may take even longer. Food that remains in your stomach during competition may cause indigestion, nausea, and vomiting. If you eat your pre- event meal 1 to 3 hours before the start of your competition, your stomach will be almost empty during the event.

What's a good precompetition meal?
Your pre-event meal should include foods that are high in carbohydrates like breads, pasta, fruits, or vegetables. These foods are removed rapidly from your stomach and intestines. Carbohydrates also help build up the stored energy in your body for use later during your event.

To avoid indigestion or nausea, the closer you are to your event the less you should eat. You can have a liquid meal closer to your competition than a solid meal because liquids are emptied from your stomach faster. This is especially useful if you are nervous and tense.

If you compete at all-day events such as track meets, swimming meets, or tournaments, nutritious food choices may be a problem because you could be tempted by whatever is available at convenient concession stands. Consider the amount of time you have between your events, bring nutritious foods, and plan accordingly.

Suggested precompetition menus include the following:

1 hour or less before competition

• fruit and vegetable juice such as orange, tomato, or V-8, and/or

• fresh fruit such as apples, watermelon, peaches, grapes, or oranges and/or

• 1 and a half cups of a commercial sport drink like Gatorade.

2 to 3 hours before competition

• fresh fruit, fruit and vegetable juices, and/or

• breads; bagels; English muffins with limited amounts of butter, margarine, or cream cheese; or lowfat yogurt; and/or

• 4 cups of a commercial sports drink like Gatorade.

3 to 4 hours before competition

• fresh fruit, fruit and vegetable juices, and

• breads; bagels; baked potatoes; cereal with lowfat milk; lowfat yogurt; sandwiches with a small amount of peanut butter, lean meat, or lowfat cheese; and/or 7 and one-half cups of a commercial sports drink.

Does eating sugary foods before exercise improve performance?

Athletes sometimes consume simple carbohydrates such as sugars, honey, candy, or soft drinks right before exercise in hopes of getting "quick energy." Unfortunately, eating sugary foods won't provide it. Most of the energy for exercise comes from foods eaten several hours or even days prior to the start of the race or competition.

However, if you are an endurance athlete, new evidence suggests that eating some sugary foods (like energy bars, some types of candy bars, or sports drinks) 35 to 40 minutes before competition may benefit you by providing energy (glucose) to your exercising muscles when your other energy stores have dropped to low levels. Nevertheless, some athletes are sensitive to having their blood sugar levels go up and down quickly, and eating sugary foods right before their event could harm their performance. You need to experiment and find out what works best for you.

Does caffeine improve performance?
Initially, researchers thought that caffeine improved endurance performance by stimulating a greater use of fat for energy so that less of the stored energy in your muscles (glycogen) was burned. However, more recent caffeine studies don't support that theory. When caffeine improves endurance, it does so by acting as a stimulant.

Caffeine does not help everyone. Some people are extremely sensitive and have negative side effects including nausea, muscle tremors, and headaches. Too much caffeine can cause you to produce more urine and lose more water, especially in hot weather. You could become dehydrated and hurt your performance.

The International Olympic Committee has declared caffeine an illegal drug in international competition. Caffeine- containing tablets used prior to or during exercise should be used with caution due to their extremely high concentration and the possibility of overdosing.

What should I avoid for my precompetition meal?
The hot dogs, doughnuts, nachos, potato chips, and candy bars found at most concession stands are extremely high in fat and not digested quickly. These foods eaten as pre- event meals will likely be in your stomach much of the morning or afternoon. Avoid or limit eating these foods for your pre-event meal.

The Hicksville School District takes proper decorum at sporting events very seriously. It is our goal to protect the best interests of the student-athletes and school district.  We are committed to providing an enjoyable experience for everyone.  We hope that parents, spectators, and students will embrace that initiative and support our efforts in that direction.   
An educational environment is critical to the success of interscholastic athletics.  An important part of that environment is the learning of sportsmanship.  Without sportsmanship at a contest, the lessons learned lose their value.  Remember when you are at an interscholastic event that you are really in a classroom where" Good sportsmanship" is the lesson and "good sports" receive the highest grade.

"Our chief interest should not lie in the great champions in sport.  On the contrary, our concern should be first of all to widen the base, the foundation in athletic sports: to encourage in every way a healthy rivalry which shall give to the largest possible number of students the chance to take part in vigorous outdoor games." 
-Theodore Roosevelt

Sportsmanship Recommendation for Spectators

1. Know and demonstrate the fundamentals of sportsmanship.  Remember that you are at a contest to support and encourage your team and to enjoy the skill and competition, not to intimidate or ridicule the other team and its fans.  Learn the rules of the game so that you may understand and appreciate why certain situations take place.
2. Respect, cooperate and respond positively to cheerleaders
3. Censure fellow spectators whose behavior is unbecoming
4. Respect the property of the school and authority of school officials
5. Show respect for an injured player
6. Do not applaud errors by opponents or penalties inflicted upon them
7. Do not heckle, jeer or distract members of the opposing team
8. Never criticize the players or coaches for a loss of a game
9. Respect the judgment and strategy of the coach-refrain from being a second guesser
10. Avoid profane language or obnoxious behavior, which are detrimental to good sportsmanship

A Message from the Athletes

“It is not your game, it's ours, the players and student-athletes that are competing.  We hope the spectators will watch, enjoy, encourage and be proud of us, win or lose.  We need your support and enthusiasm, not your yelling and criticism.”

Guidelines for Parents of Student/Athletes

1. Fans should be seen and heard in a positive manner throughout the contest.
As a parent and community member watching a contest, you should try to blend in with the woodwork. Don’t draw attention to yourself. The games are all about the students, not about you and your comments. If you have to say something during a contest, it should only be positive praise. Never direct negative comments towards our student-athletes, their opponents, or the officials. Root for the entire team, not just one individual kid.

2. Fans should never publicly criticize their child and never, ever criticize somebody else’s child!
Provide positive support, care, and encouragement to your student-athlete and our team. If you feel compelled to try and coach your player from the sidelines, or make some disparaging remarks, then you have crossed the line. Never ever criticize some other parent’s player on your team or the opponents. Everyone wants to win, but it isn’t a win at all costs mentality.

Don’t belittle or demean your child with hurtful comments about his/her performance or lack of success. Players look to their parents for approval during contests and if you look like you’re having a good time, then he or she will feel the same way. But if you’re scowling, or cursing, or stomping around, then your player will take that as a sign that they ought to be nervous and angry, too. So, relax leave your game face at home and wear a relaxed face to our games.

3. Every athletic contest is a learning experience for our student-athletes and our fans.
After the game, treat the contest as a learning experience and build on the positive and minimize the negatives of your child’s performance. I have seen too many relationships damaged between a parent and child because of ill-advised comments made in the heat of the moment immediately after a contest. Every player has a critical role in the team’s success. However, not every player can be the leading scorer. Show your child you value and accept his/her role in the team’s success. Love and accept your child for what he/she is, not for what you wished he/she is on the athletic field.

4. It is okay to applaud a nice play by an opposing player.
We’re trying to teach our students to be good sports, and to respect their opponents and the officials. So if one of the opposing players makes a great play, applaud it! That’s okay- yes, even sometimes the opposing team makes good plays! And you should tell your child that it’s okay for their opponents to be talented as well.

5. Coaching is the Coaches job
Allow the coach to be responsible for your athlete during practices, games, or team related activities. Please do not coach your child from the stands. This presents confusion to the player and places an unfair pressure upon him to decide loyalty. Ultimately, your child is expected to do what he is being coached to do by his coach. When your child listens to you instead of the coach, he or she probably will be removed from the game by the coach.

Remember that there is more than one way to approach most situations in a game. Coaches are doing their best to make the right decisions based upon situations and the ability of their players. We all make mistakes and none of us start with those intentions. Respect their decisions and factor in execution of the players before forming bold opinions of their coaching abilities.

6. Our fans represent our school and community and other schools will judge the quality and character of our school district based on your behavior.
The coaching staff and administration ask you to demonstrate sportsmanship as you consciously recognize how you treat the officials, the opponent’s fans and players, and anyone else involved with the game. You represent our school just as much as our coaches and players. We ask you to remain aware of the types of behaviors you are modeling to our students. Understand that you are a role model for your child and others. So if you’re going nuts on the referees, or throwing a temper tantrum, or seem emotionally unsettled in the stands, don’t be surprised if your child and our student body start acting the same way. If you behave this way, I can assure you it embarrasses the fans around you and more importantly your child.

7. Officials are not to be criticized or verbally abused in any way.
Respect the position and professionalism of game officials. Officials are human beings like you and I and they are going to make an occasional mistake. Understand that the vast majority of people do not know where to draw the line when it comes to questioning an official’s call.

Unfortunately, too many fans think that an official can somehow be psychologically influenced during a contest and that if they keep chirping and pointing out the mistakes of the official, they will begin to give our team the close calls. Of course, that never happens. If anything, the official will just get annoyed with our fans and then all of the close calls will go in the direction of our opponent. Thus, our student-athletes will be the ones who will suffer if you choose to criticize officials. If a questionable call is made during a game, it is the coaches responsibility to discuss it with them in a respectful, professional manner.

Remember that it takes everyone from our school district and its programs to be considered a success not just on the field or court, but in the stands during the game, and the parking lot after the game. It is human nature to be critical. But a schools success is based upon the commitment and sportsmanship of all. Any school program has a higher potential for success if everyone supports it in a positive manner. I look forward to your presence and support at each and every one of our contests this year.

Please take the time to enjoy the games and our student-athletes commitment and dedication to their sport and our school.Make sure your children know that win or lose; your proud of them.  Let them know that you appreciate their effort and that you will not be disappointed in them if the score is not in their favor.  Be the person in their life they can always look to for support.

Try to be completely honest with yourself about your children's athletic capability, their competitive attitude, their sportsmanship and their level of skill.

Be helpful, but do not coach your children on the way to the game or at the breakfast table.  Think how tough it must be on them to be continually inundated with advice, pep talks and criticism.

Teach your children to enjoy the thrill of competition, to be "out there trying" constantly working to improve their skills, to take the physical bumps and come back for more.

Do not tell them that winning doesn't count, because it does and they know it.  Instead, help them to develop a healthy competitive attitude, a "feel" for competing, for trying hard, and for having a good time.

Do not compete with your children's coach.  A coach may become a hero to them for a while, someone who can do no wrong, and you may find that hard to take.  Or your children may become disenchanted with the coach.

Do not side with them against the coach.

Don't compare your children with other players on the team, at least not within their hearing.  If they have tendency to resent the treatment they get from the coach, if they are jealous of the approval other players get, try to be honest with them

Don't lie to your child about their capabilities as a player.  If you are overly protective, you will perpetuate the problems.

Get to know your children's coach.  Make sure that you approve of the coach's attitudes and ethics.  A coach can be very influential and you should know what his/her values are so that you can decide whether or not you want them passed on to your child.

Remember that children tend to exaggerate when they are praised and when they are criticized.  Remember your reactions to the stories your children bring home from the school.  Don't criticize them for exaggerating, but don't overact to the stories they tell you.

Teach your child the meaning of courage.  Courage is not the absence of fear.  Courage is learning to perform in spite of fear.  Courage is not getting rid of fear.  It is overcoming it.

Remember that officials are necessary.  Don't overreact to their calls.  They have rules and guidelines to follow and are representing authority during the game.  Teach your children to respect authority and to play by the rules.

Finally, remember if they children aren't having fun we're missing the whole point of interscholastic and youth sports.

The following are just a few ways a student may see increased school performance as a result, at least in part, of involvement in competitive athletics.

In the right environment (e.g. playing for a youth sports coach with the right values) a boy or girl can really come out of their "shell" and express themselves through sport. Their confidence builds and that can be taken directly into the classroom.

There are obviously no guarantees, but when a young person is busy with important things, there is less time to be tempted to fall off the path into relationships and activities that may lead to problems. There can be a tendency for a student who is busy through positive pursuits to be engaged, focused and self-disciplined. These student-athletes learn that they need to focus and recognize that they must lead disciplined lives. They can still enjoy themselves and take advantage of "being young", but they will also understand that discipline can help lead to achievement and success.

Time management became a buzz-word over the past twenty years, but there is no question it is important for young people to understand this concept as they prepare for life after school and in the so-called "real world". Learning to balance one's time between community involvement, school demands, social interests and proper rest and athletic pursuits pushes a young person to recognize the value of "planned time" - creating a schedule and sticking to it.

This leads to the important notion of prioritizing. A busy young person, occupied in creative and healthy activities, will need to make decisions about not only time management but will need to prioritize what is most important- and what needs to be done to complete particular tasks in order of importance.

Competitive sports demand a high level of concentration. If an athlete can "focus" on the playing field, this may well help them understand the need to focus on school-related tasks.

Involvement and success breeds more involvement and more success. A student who gets involved in healthy pursuits will often be energized by those commitments. Success does not mean "winning" games. Success means being involved, training, working hard, being disciplined, and showing leadership skills. When a young person shows these traits in sports, this attitude and skill set are transferrable to the classroom

Athletes need to make instantaneous, quick decisions on the field of play. Sometimes they make mistakes but that only helps the learning process. How does a young person learn, if they never have the opportunity to try, make errors, and try again? In school, in business and in life in general, everyone has to become a decision-maker and sports can sometimes help youngsters develop this important trait.

Parents, of course, need to understand their own child - their passions, interests and limitations. What good ever comes from forcing unnecessary demands or expectations?

In the same breath, most children need to be - and in fact want to be - stimulated, nudged, encouraged and challenged. Sports can be part of that challenge.

Parents obviously should not push their children unrealistically or make unreasonable demands. A youngster who struggles academically may still benefit from being active in sports but it may not be realistic to expect a 4.0 GPA.

To succeed in sports, most young people have to work hard. Not everyone is a naturally gifted athlete, just as most people aren't naturally gifted students. However, the lessons learned from the gym, track, and playing field often provide lessons for school - and beyond.