New Concussion Law Won't Faze School District

The Bethlehem Area School District won't have to change much to comply with the new state law designed to protect student athletes from suffering long-term damage from concussions.

“We've already been working on it,” said BASD Athletic Director Dean Donaher. “It's in our policy. We are on the side of the student.”

The district already requires that any athlete that suffers a head injury be cleared by a medical professional before they can return to the field of play, he said.

Additionally, the district provides extra testing annually to athletes in high-risk sports, such as football, he said.

“It's a (computerized) baseline test. It's done at the beginning of the season,” Donaher said.

The new law will require the district to keep more detailed records on athletes and injuries, and likely do more baseline testing, including those in sports that have low head injury rates, such as basketball and swimming.

“Obviously, that's going to require some new paperwork,” he said, adding the district will likely have to add some services to its contract with Coordinated Health Services, the district's medical provider.

Despite the extra effort it will require, Donaher said he supports the law.

“It's sad to think this has to be legislated,” he said. “Losing a game is secondary to the health of our athletes.”

Very often, he noted, the rules also protect student athletes from overzealously returning to the playing field before they are fully healed. Coaches have occasionally had to hide football players' helmets to prevent them from suiting up and slipping onto the field unnoticed, he said.

He added it is the policy of the athletic department to put safety first, noting the district made the switch this year to pay extra to have Advanced Life Support services from the City of Bethlehem on stand-by at all district varsity football games. The move likely saved a life after a fan suffered a heart attack in the stands earlier this season and was successfully revived, he said.

“It's well worth it,” Donaher said. “The main thing is that everybody's healthy, and they stay that way.”