NEW RULE: Heading the Ball

In order to reduce the number of concussions, US Soccer recommends—and the ECYSA league has adopted—new rules in regards to heading the ball. 

• No player in G4 or younger will be allowed to head the ball in games and practices.
• No player in G6 will be allowed to head the ball in games. Heading the ball in practices will be restricted to a maximum of 15-20 headers per week.

We are awaiting further instructions on how this policy is going to be regulated by the referees and will work with coaches to discuss its impact on the game. For more information on how this change came to be, please read this www.nytimes.com article.

Concussion Training

ECYSA has made it mandatory for all coaches to complete a ‘concussion awareness training’ to help them understand the symptoms and risks of concussions. Coaches take an online course, free of charge, which takes approximately 30 minutes to complete. Upon completion, they receive a certificate wich remains on file with ECYSA.
 
Below are the 2 recommended courses:
 
Center for Disease Control: http://www.cdc.gov/concussion/HeadsUp/online_training.html
National Federation of High Schools: https://nfhslearn.com/courses/38000
 
Certificates are valid for 2 years and coaches need to maintain a current certificate to be eligable to coach.

We encourage our parents to review a course as well so they can understand what the expectations on the coaches are. This is an important area of concern for all sports and we all need to understand that the safety of players is our number one priority. Thank you for your support and understanding!