At BISA, player safety is our top priority. We are committed to providing a safe, positive, and age-appropriate environment for all players. Coaches play a vital role in protecting the physical and emotional well-being of every child on the field.

This resource outlines key safety expectations, best practices, and tools available to all BISA coaches.

All BISA coaches are expected to:

• Put player safety above competition and results. 
• Follow age-appropriate training and game guidelines
• Be alert to signs of injury, illness, or emotional distress

HEAT & WEATHER SAFETY

• Ensure players take regular water breaks
• Modify or stop activities during extreme heat 
• Watch for signs of heat illness: dizziness, fatigue, nausea, confusion, or cramps
• Follow league policies for lighting, severe weather, or field closures

EQUIPMENT SAFETY

• Players must wear proper shin guards under socks
• Soccer cleats only (no baseball or football cleats)
• Remove jewelry before all practices and games

CONCUSSION AWARENESS 

Knowing how and when to recognize a possible concussion is critical to protecting our players' health and safety.

We strongly encourage all coaches, volunteers, and parents to review the free concussion training linked below. This training covers concussion recognition, response, and proper steps to take when a concussion is suspected. 

We have also included the U.S. Soccer Concussion Initiative, which provides official guidelines on prevention, recognition, and return-to-play protocols. Player safety is our top priority, and staying informed helps ensure a safe playing environment for everyone. 

https://nfhslearn.com/courses/concussion-in-sports-2

https://learning.ussoccer.com/articles/hip/article/concussion-initiatives

Changes in brain functions:

Unaware of game (opposition colors, score of game, last play)
Confusion
Amnesia (does not recall events prior to the hit or after the hit)
Drastic changes in alertness
Does not know time, place or date
Slowed responses to questions or conversation
Decreased attention and concentration

Mental and emotional changes:

Depression
Anxiety
Anger
Irritability
Emotionally unstable

Physical changes:

Headache
Dizziness
Nausea
Unsteadiness/loss of balance
Feeling “dinged” or stunned or “dazed”
Seeing stars or flashing lights
Ringing in the ears
Double vision

Remove, Evaluate and Rest are key steps to treating a concussion or other head injury in soccer. When a concussion is identified quickly, it prevents the injury from getting worse and prevents the player from staying off the field for even longer.

Remove:

An athlete who experiences a blow to the head or body should immediately be removed for play and should not return to play until he/she is evaluated. When in doubt, the athlete should sit out.

Evaluate:

Have a health care professional evaluate the athlete immediately. Do not try to judge the severity of the injury yourself.

Rest:

Never rush a return to play. A return to play should only occur after an athlete has been cleared by a medical professional. If you rush the return, a player is at significantly higher risk for more problems in the future.

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