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Injury and Prevention

Injuries and Prevention

Plano Youth Soccer provides onsite professional athletic training/medical staff at Russell Creek Park and Carpenter Park for weekend games. 

Trainers provide immediate medical attention for game day injuries, but also offer support services such as ankle taping.

PYSA is the only recreational soccer league in DFW to offer medical/athletic training services during league play.

Steve Parker, ATC, LAT, MA

Athletic trainers are provided by Steve Parker and Elite Therapy Solutions.  The training staff that you see at PYSA games come from the ranks of High School, College, and Professional Sports trainers.

Steve Parker has been an athletic trainer and involved in physical therapy since 1976.  Parker has also been the trainer for virtually every professional soccer team to have played in the Dallas area since the 1970s including the Dallas Tornado, Dallas Americans, and Dallas Sidekicks. 

More about Steve Parker.

Steve's Websites

Sports Med Central - injury prevention and treatment videos

 

Since 2012 referees have been instructed that a head, neck, spine or facial injury are to be treated very seriously.  The referee must stop play and have the player removed from the field safely for evaluation and treatment.  Stoppage for such an injury must occur immediately and not be delayed, regardless of where the ball is.

In December 2015 US Soccer published “Concussion Initiative Guidelines” to increase awareness of how to manage head injuries and to spread that awareness to parents, players, coaches and referees.  The online presentation from US Soccer, Concussions in Soccer Overview, is required for everyone. 

See:   http://www.ussoccer.com/Referees/Resource-Center/Online-Training/Grade-8-Referee-Course.aspx%20

In 2012, referees were provided with 9 “Triggers” to look for when confronted with a possible concussion event.  Those 9 triggers or signs, are:

Motor un-coordination - Loss of consciousness or lying motionless on field - Slow to get up

Unsteady walk - Falling to the ground - Grabbing or clutching the head - Dazed or confused

Blank or vacant look - Facial cut in association with any of the above

 

What has changed for the Referee in 2016 as a result of the Guidelines?

 

Health Care Professional (HCP) is defined as a Medical Doctor (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO).  No other designation is under the HCP umbrella for this definition.

 

1)All players, including goalkeepers, who leave the field for serious injury, possible concussion, MUST be evaluated by a Health Care Professional (HCP) before being allowed to return to play (RTP)

PYSA Concussion Policy and Procedures

One of our top priorities as a league is player safety. In December of 2015 US Soccer published "Concussion Initiative Guidelines" to increase awareness of how to manage head injuries and to spread that awareness to parents, players, coaches and referees.

Beginning this Fall season, the Plano Youth Soccer the following policies and procedures regarding Concussions/Head Injuries.

During a game a Referee may send a player to the sidelines for evaluation by a on-site Athletic Trainer if he/she is exhibiting one or more symptoms of a concussion or head injury. Referees are being educated about the triggers and the signs indicating a head injury/concussion. We encourage all parents, coaches, and players to review the Concussion Training Video found on the  ntxsoccer.org website.

Once a player has been instructed by the referee to leave the field for an Athletic Trainer evaluation, they will NOT be allowed to re-enter the field of play during that game without authorization from the on-site Athletic Trainer who performed the concussion evaluation. Please note: we schedule a licensed on-site Athletic Trainer to be at all Carpenter and Russell Creek Park. In the rare event that an on-site Athletic Trainer is not available, the player will NOT be allowed to return to play in that game if the referee has sent them to the sidelines for evaluation as a result of the presence of signs of a head injury.

 The on-site Athletic Trainer will administer a SCAT-3 test on-site. After completion of the test, the Athletic Trainer will determine the eligibility of the player for the remainder of that game and moving forward. There are TWO scenarios that could occur following the Athletic Trainer’s evaluation.

 SCENARIO 1. The Player is NOT cleared, may NOT return to play, and will need a Physician's Medical Clearance to return to play. If this determination is made by the Athletic Trainer, the player will need to take the necessary steps to gain Medical Clearance from a licensed Health Care Professional before they can return to play. Instructions will be given to the Player/Parent/Guardian at the field to assist with this process.

Health Care Professional (HCP) is defined as a Medical Doctor (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO).  No other designation is under the HCP umbrella for this definition.

 

  • The decision of the on-site Athletic Trainer is FINAL.
  • The Athletic Trainer will notify the Referee that the player is NOT eligible to return to the field of play. There must be no attempt to circumvent this decision. Failure to adhere to this decision could result in a misconduct sanction being assessed by the Referee to the Coach and/or Player, and if necessary a game abandonment/forfeit by the offending team. The Referee has the authority to stop the game and take any actions necessary to make certain the player does not return to play.
  • The player will need to obtain further evaluation by a licensed HTC and obtain a signed medical clearance letter by a HTC to return to play.
  • (This applies to the PPIL only) The players card will be pulled by the referee and given to the league.  They will NOT be eligible to play until the league office is in receipt of a Physician signed "Medical Clearance" letter for that player and it has been approved by our medical staff.
  • Once a player has received a signed medical clearance from a licensed HTC, they will email or fax a copy of it to:

ppilconcussion@gmail.com
Fax: 972-516-2216

CLEARANCE FORMS ARE AVAILABLE HERE

The clearance letter will be validated within 48, normal business hours of receipt and upon approval will be cleared and the players card will be returned before their next scheduled game. The Manager of the team will be notified when Clearance is given.

  • ALL clearance documents must be received at least 48 hours prior to the player’s next game in order for them to return to play. Please DO NOT send a clearance document at 1pm and expect same day clearance. We need at least 48 hours’ notice.

 

SCENARIO 2. The Player is cleared to play and MAY return to play in that game.

  • The on-site Athletic Trainer has administered the test and evaluation and the player is cleared to play.  They are eligible to return to play, and the League requires no further action.

As with all NEW policies and procedures, it takes time to get everything running smoothly. We do ask that you have patience during this process. It is our goal to put the player’s safety first.  In no case do we want to take away your choice to seek outside medical attention for any injury including concussion/head injuries.