The NCAA News - News & Features

Competitive-safeguards committee develops health and safety plan

The committee developed the plan in response to a recommendation from the NCAA Special Committee to Review Student-Athlete Welfare, Access and Equity, and plans to present it to the NCAA Council August 12.

The special committee asked the competitive-safeguards committee, in conjunction with professional sports medicine associations and the NCAA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), to address issues relevant to student-athlete health and safety.

The final report will include recommendations in six areas:

(1) Equitable medical treatment for male and female student-athletes in all sports; (2) adequate emergency medical care and supervision at practices and competitions for all student-athletes; (3) reasonable opportunities to educate student-athletes and coaches on health and safety issues; (4) injury surveillance and application to sports rules, policies and issues; (5) existing legislation relative to health and safety issues; and (6) drug-testing issues.

The committee anticipates SAAC endorsement of the plan.

The fall issue of the NCAA's Sports Sciences Education Newsletter will highlight all facets of the committee's health and safety plan.

In the report, the committee expresses the view that student-athletes should be at no greater injury risk during out-of-season practices than in regular-season sessions.

In order to achieve this goal in spring football -- in which the NCAA Injury Surveillance System consistently has shown a higher injury rate than in regular-season practice -- the committee plans to recommend three changes to Council:

(1) Mandate that the first two spring practices be noncontact; (2) change the current spring-practice schedule of 10 contact and five noncontact practices to five contact practices and 10 noncontact practices; and (3) ban the wearing of shoulder pads during noncontact practices. Currently, players may wear such pads during noncontact sessions.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports
June 26-28/Hilton Head, South Carolina

* Approved the recommendations of a recent NCAA-sponsored Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) focus-group meeting. The recommendations include the following: (1) Develop a profile of noncontact ACL injuries when they occur, rather than undertaking a long prospective study; (2) use results of the injured-athlete study to decide which variables should be examined in a large prospective study; (3) collect videotape on noncontact ACL injuries for analysis. The committee anticipates that several conferences will participate in data collection and that researchers will be funded to analyze the data.

* Set as a goal the development of a tool compatible with the Injury Surveillance System (ISS) that can identify chronic overuse injuries. The committee defined such an injury as one that limits performance and is treated on a regular basis. The primary focus will be on swimming, track and field, and cross country. Sports currently monitored by the ISS also will be included. Selected committee members will meet in the fall to further develop this initiative.

* Expressed support for developing safety standards for baseball and softball bats. The committee anticipates reviewing a research proposal on the topic this fall.

* Recommended discussions with the NCAA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) on nutrition and eating-disorders issues, specifically regarding whether to enact a program designed to emphasize the proper way to eat rather than one focusing on negative issues. If the committee finds such a program is needed, it will work with SAAC to determine the most effective format for the message.

* Recommended that findings of the first Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health, released in July, be promoted within the Association wherever applicable.

* Discussed issues of medical coverage at NCAA championships. First, the committee endorsed a request from the College/University Athletic Trainers (CUAT) Committee that athletic trainers be included as a line item on gross receipts. The competitive-safeguards committee also noted that medical coverage at championships should be based on need and risk, and be consistent with Association guidelines as presented in the sports medicine and championship handbooks.

* Noted that its outreach initiatives during the past year have been successful. Committee representatives contributed to two pre-Olympic sports medicine conferences and to meetings or conventions of the following organizations: American College of Sports Medicine, National Athletic Trainers Association, American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (ACSM), American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine and Joint Commission on Sports Medicine and Science. Committee members also attended 1996 NCAA regional rules-compliance seminars.

* Consolidated strategic plans of the committee's two subcommittees (drug-testing and sports-sciences safety) into one mission statement and strategic plan.

* Listed specific health and safety issues to address in April 1997 at the NCAA's coaches professional development seminar.

SPORTS-SCIENCES SAFETY SUBCOMMITTEE

The sports-sciences safety subcommittee of the NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports reviewed the NCAA Sports Medicine Handbook during meetings June 26-28 in Hilton Head, South Carolina.

The subcommittee noted that Guideline 1B ("Medical Evaluations, Immunizations and Records") will be modified slightly to include information regarding checking for possible tuberculosis exposure as part of the recommended review of a student-athlete's medical history.

A proposed guideline on lightning safety was reviewed and returned to the author for revisions focusing on when to stop and start practice and on necessary safety precautions. It is anticipated that the new guideline, including the requested revisions, will be added to next year's handbook.

In response to input from the College/University Athletic Trainers (CUAT) Committee, the subcommittee enacted two changes designed to make the handbook more accessible.

First, two copies will be sent to the head athletic trainer at each institution, rather than just one as in the past.

Second, language clarifying that portions of the handbook may be photocopied by member schools and conferences without calling the NCAA for permission will be added to the title page. Users need only state on copies where the material originated and that it is reprinted by permission of the NCAA. The committee encourages sports medicine professionals to do such photocopying when necessary.

Regarding other sports-sciences safety issues, the subcommittee:

* Reviewed the Current Comments project that is being done in conjunction with the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). The joint project provides releases focusing on selected NCAA Sports Medicine Handbook and ACSM topics to the media on a monthly basis.

* Set as goals a review of Injury Surveillance System (ISS) data related to a player-contact injury trend in men's and women's basketball and a detailed review of women's gymnastics injuries, paying special attention to the floor exercise.

* Responded to the NCAA Wrestling Committee's request for assistance in establishing a weight-loss education program. The subcommittee recommended that the Wrestling Committee outline the specific desired content of the material, then request funding from the Executive Committee for development. Existing material developed at the high-school level and material from the NCAA CHAMPS/Life Skills Program were suggested as possible starting points. The subcommittee recommended that the full competitive-safeguards committee assist with content development and that it inform the NCAA Executive Committee that it endorses such a program.

* Noted concern in Division III about a possible rules change that would reduce the number of preseason football practices. There is concern that such a change would increase the football injury rate. While sympathetic to the concern, the subcommittee said it is unable to provide any recommendation based on current ISS data.

* Emphasized a need for institutions sponsoring field hockey and women's lacrosse to make student-athletes aware of the availability of optional head and face protection in those sports.

DRUG-EDUCATION AND DRUG-TESTING SUBCOMMITTEE

The drug-education and drug-testing subcommittee of NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports contributed to a report on student-athlete welfare, access and equity during meetings June 26-28 in Hilton Head, South Carolina.

The report will be presented to the NCAA Council (see story elsewhere on this page).

The subcommittee recommended establishing sanctions for tobacco use and discussed procedural issues involving student-athletes who test positive in other drug-testing organizations.

The subcommittee recommended the development of NCAA legislation to set sanctions for coaches and other official game personnel who use tobacco during NCAA events. Currently, there are sanctions only for student-athletes who violate the policy.

The subcommittee also requested that the Council sponsor proposed legislation that would require student-athletes who test positive in national or international athletics organizations' drug testing to take an NCAA drug test and obtain a negative reading before eligibility is granted.

In other drug-education and testing matters, the subcommittee:

* Finalized preparation of a national survey on substance use and abuse habits of college student-athletes. The survey will be conducted this fall through member institutions' faculty athletics representatives.

* Agreed to include use of ephedrine in the national drug-use study.

* In response to an NCAA staff report on the year-round drug-testing program, agreed to increase the number of Division I schools sponsoring track and field that will be tested year-round. Last year, 84 programs were not tested. This year, that number will be reduced at least by half.

* Endorsed a proposal from the NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee regarding student-athletes who cannot produce a specimen for drug-testing purposes within three hours. Under the proposal, when a student-athlete cannot produce a specimen during that time, only the student-athlete and an institutional representative would be required to remain at the site. Other members of the traveling party would be permitted to leave. The institution could request reimbursement from the NCAA for the extra cost incurred. Reimbursement would come from the championships budget.

The committee did not support a football committee request to cancel a year-round testing event if the involved school also is participating in championship testing that week. The subcommittee noted that the two testings are significantly different.

* Approved an increase in the frequency of testing at the NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving Championships, as a result of a request from those championships' governing committee.

* Agreed to develop a testing plan for the NCAA Women's Rowing Championship.

* Noted that the NCAA Budget Subcommittee has inquired whether past drug-testing budget cuts have affected the deterrent nature of the program. The subcommittee agreed to continue to monitor the effect and review results of the national drug-use study, then report back to the Budget Subcommittee.

* Asked the NCAA staff to direct crew chiefs to collect specimens from student-athletes who arrive late at a drug-testing collection station. These student-athletes will continue to be considered as having tested positive due to failure to report, but under this policy, the Association will have a specimen to test if a student-athlete successfully appeals the finding.

* Expressed continuing support for post-event testing at NCAA championships.

* Accepted results of drug testing conducted between August and December 1995.

* Endorsed the position of the Association legal counsel opposing a "wild-card" concept for NCAA drug testing. Under the proposal, a school would be allowed to select a few of the student-athletes who are tested in the year-round program. Currently, the NCAA selects all student-athletes to be tested.