Don Horkeypotential concussions, according to preliminary data collected by the Michigan High School Athletic Association.
This school year was the first time the MHSAA requested its member schools report possible concussions suffered during both practice and competition. More than 99 percent — about 750 schools — responded, the MHSAA said.
The breakdown by seasons:
- In fall sports (September through November), an average of 3.2 concussions per school were reported. Fifty-two percent of schools reported two or fewer concussions, and some 27 percent of high schools reported that none of their athletes experienced concussions while participating in MHSAA sports.
Football, the fall season’s most-played sport with 39 percent of all fall participants, was the cause of 79 percent of all concussions reported for the season. Boys’ soccer, with nearly 14 percent of fall sport participants, revealed 11 percent of all concussions reported.
- In winter sports (December-March), an average of 1.6 concussions was reported per school. Just more than 39 percent of reporting schools reported no concussions among athletes last winter.
Girls and boys basketball, by far the most popular winter sports by participation, also revealed the highest percentage of winter concussions. Girls’ basketball revealed 38 percent of possible concussions, and boys’ basketball followed with approximately 20 percent. Wrestling also registered approximately 20 percent of possible concussions.
Significantly, girls, who made up approximately 38 percent of athletes during the winter season, experienced 48 percent of the possible concussions reported.
- In spring sports (April-June), the overall percentage of student-athletes with potential concussions — about one per school — was lower than for both fall and winter as many spring sports involve only limited contact. Just fewer than 50 percent of reporting schools stated they had no concussions this spring.
Six spring sports — including girls’ track and field — registered at least 20 possible concussions, and for the second consecutive season a girls sport reported the highest percentage. Following girls’ basketball in the winter, girls’ soccer revealed 53 percent of possible concussions reported this spring. Softball followed with 19 percent and boys’ lacrosse, with 11 percent of possible concussions, ranked third-highest overall.
“The preliminary data we were able to collect this spring again shows, and especially with girls soccer, why we must work for solutions to limit head injuries in all sports and not focus solely on sports that are most publicized,” MHSAA executive director John E. “Jack” Roberts said.
The MHSAA is the first state association to provide all participants at every member high school and junior high/middle school with insurance intended to pay accident medical expense benefits — covering deductibles and co-pays left unpaid by other policies — resulting from head injuries sustained during school practices or competitions and at no cost to either schools or families. The program has produced additional data about the frequency and severity of head injuries.
As of the end of June, 144 claims had been made on the insurance policy designed to assist in payment for concussion care. The top three sports: Fifty-one claims are for football, 39 are for basketball (girls and boys combined) and 14 for boys’ soccer.
Catholic League director Vic Michaels, who also is secretary-treasurer of the MHSAA Representative Council, said it was unclear how many of those concussions occurred at CHSL schools, because all data is sent directly to the MHSAA.
An MHSAA spokesman told me such league-by-league analysis isn’t maintained, but he added he would bring the issue to the attention of the association’s administration.
Don Horkey may be reached at [email protected].
