The NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports (CSMAS) discussed a variety of issues affecting student-athlete health and safety at its December meeting.

One of the issues the committee discussed was insurance for student-athletes, in particular recommendations from the NCAA Executive Committee's risk management and insurance task force (see the January 6 issue of The NCAA News). The CSMAS supported that group's effort to expand student-athlete medical coverage.

The CSMAS also heard updates from the three Student-Athlete Advisory Committees on health and safety issues being examined at the divisional level. Division I is addressing insurance-coverage concerns and advocating for more universal coverage. Division II is concerned with van safety issues. Division III's recent focus has been on playing and practice seasons and safety implications.

The committee also discussed health and safety issues related to football. The group reviewed and supported the Division I football out-of-season conditioning model and the Division II preseason practice model, with minor modifications. The committee also recommended that Division III develop a football preseason practice model that incorporates the general acclimatization, medical resource and recovery criteria established by the committee, as well as remaining consistent with the health and safety aspects of the proposed Division I and Division II models.

In a related matter, the committee noted that the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) is coordinating a task force to develop a position on exertional heat illness. The NATA requested relevant NCAA research information, as well as the Association's endorsement of the final document. The committee identified appropriate materials for the NATA, but decided not to provide endorsement until the final draft is reviewed.

Another issue that received CSMAS attention is particularly relevant in light of a sportsmanship summit being staged by several athletics constituencies February 20 in Dallas (see story, page 1). Aware of the influx of negative behavior stemming from recent athletics contests, the committee approved the following statement:

"The Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports has noted with growing concern the escalating level of violence and property damage by fans and others that is occurring within sports venues and the surrounding communities in conjunction with collegiate competitions. The committee requests that NCAA leadership focus constructive energies in identifying appropriate ways the NCAA can act, on its own behalf and in collaboration with other concerned collegiate organizations, toward reducing negative behaviors associated with intercollegiate athletics."

The committee identified Techniques for Effective Alcohol Management (TEAM), an organization that trains stadium personnel to manage crowd issues involving alcohol use, as a potential resource to address crowd control and fan violence at athletics events.

Matt Mitten, associate dean for academic affairs, professor of law and director of the National Sports Law Institution at Marquette University, served as chair during the group's Indianapolis meeting, replacing Bryan Smith, team physician at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

Sports sciences safety

The Sports Sciences Safety Subcommittee reviewed four main topics during the CSMAS meeting, including the NCAA Injury Surveillance System (ISS), sport-specific safety issues, research topics and educational issues.

The subcommittee reviewed the Fall 2002 ISS data and identified football and soccer concussions and protective eyewear in field hockey as areas of concern. The group recommended that an article about the importance of officials' roles in injury prevention be developed for a future issue of the bi-annual NCAA Health and Safety Newsletter published in The NCAA News.

Regarding ISS enhancement, the subcommittee reviewed the injury-data collection from phase I of the Web-based ISS pilot conducted on field hockey and men's and women's soccer this fall. The group also reviewed and supported the progress on the next phase to be launched next year. The subcommittee encouraged educating athletic trainers, administrators and other medical personnel about the ISS enhancement project.

The subcommittee also reviewed and supported the recent enhancements to the NCAA ISS Web site and agreed the data currently being distributed in paper form was appropriate to put on the Web site for better access. The group also planned to develop a research proposal request form to be used for requests for ISS data analysis.

The subcommittee also addressed sport-specific safety issues in wrestling, track and field, and women's lacrosse. The group agreed that the technique of air displacement plethysmography using BOD POD technology had met the committee's established criteria for an acceptable body composition measurement for the NCAA Wrestling Weight Certification Program. The subcommittee recommended the addition of this technology as an option for male wrestlers beginning in the 2003-04 fiscal year, subject to review in April by the NCAA Wrestling Rules Committee.

The group also supported recent rules changes by the NCAA Men's and Women's Track and Field Committee to increase pole-vaulter safety. Due to the lack of viable manufacturing standards, neither the CSMAS nor the track and field committee support the use of helmets at this time.

Concerning protective eyewear for women's lacrosse student-athletes, the subcommittee reviewed and supported a draft statement on head, face and eye injuries from the U.S. Lacrosse Sports Sciences Safety Committee. The group also encouraged education, based on items in the position section of the statement, of student-athletes, coaches and officials on the risk of head, face and eye injuries.

Research and education

Current research projects such as sickle-cell trait in student-athletes, ACL injury prevention and catastrophic injury data collection were reviewed.

New projects identified for funding this year include: ISS enhancement; updating the 1998 emergency care and coverage survey in collaboration with the NCAA research staff; the Annual National Center for Catastrophic Injury Research data collection; body composition studies at the 2002-03 Division I NCAA Wrestling Championship; and a survey regarding the NCAA Sports Medicine Handbook. The subcommittee also recommended funding for a football recovery study that would monitor hydration, fatigue and immune system and core temperature during fall practice sessions.

The subcommittee also reviewed the current issue of the NCAA Sports Medicine Handbook and recommended review and revision of selected guidelines. The group also recommended developing a draft asthma and exercise guideline for consideration at its June meeting.

Other actions

Also during the CSMAS meeting, the committee's drug-education and drug-testing subcommittee met and took the following actions:

Other highlights

Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports
December 14-16/Indianapolis