TN Sports Concussion Law

In April 2013, Tennessee became the 44th state to pass a sport concussion law designed to reduce youth sports concussion and increase awareness of traumatic brain injury.

  • To inform and educate coaches, youth athletes and their parents and require them to sign a concussion information            form before competing.
  • To require removal of a youth athlete who appears to have suffered a concussion from play or practice at the time of            the suspected concussion.
  • To require a youth athlete to be cleared by a licensed health care provider* before returning to play or practice.
    • *Health care provider means a Tennessee licensed medical doctor, osteopathic physician, clinical neuropsychologist with concussion training, or physical assistant with concussion training who is a member of a health care team supervised by a Tennessee licensed medical doctor or osteopathic physician.

Below you will find links for the required forms, trainings and guidelines that will equip coaches, parents and athletes to recognize and respond to sports related concussions:

Sample Policy

Parent Athlete Signature Form

Coach Signature Form

Return to Learn/Return to Play: Concussion Management Guidelines PDF

The following trainings have been approved by the Department of Health as concussion recognition and head injury safety education online course. Completion of one of the trainings on an annual basis fulfills the requirement of training for all coaches and athletic directors as required by the Tennessee Youth Sports Concussion Law.

HEADS UP to Youth Sports: Online Training

National Federation of State High School Associations

National Alliance for Youth Sports

Tennessee Athletic Trainer’s Society

USA Football | Sport Safety - Play Safely

Additional Sports Safety Recognition

The Safe Stars Initiative recognizes youth sports leagues throughout Tennessee for providing the highest level of safety for their young athletes. Safe Stars consists of 3 levels: gold, silver, and bronze, and involves implementation of policies around topics such as concussion education, weather safety and injury prevention. For more information about Safe Stars, please visit https://www.tn.gov/health/health-program-areas/fhw/vipp/safe-stars-initiative.