Sage Riddick and Steph Arno 

Staff Writers

On July 19, Governor Deval Patrick signed a law that is requiring Department of Public Health to form a program on head injury safety for students, parents, and team coaches. The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic, MIAA, will be putting this into their handbook for athletes to follow.

This law is being put into affect to prevent concussions and to acknowledge them. For many years having a concussion was just a little head injury, but with more studies and information, people are realizing concussions are serious.

The law says that all coaches need to undergo training. This training is an online course and anyone can take it. With this law being in affect the coaches here at Westford Academy have already been through the training. For parents and athletes, there will be more information about concussions provided. It will also be included in the Student Athletic Handbook.

The main part of training is if an athlete is experiencing head problems you sit them out.

“If in doubt, sit them out, if that’s what it comes out to. So, if the student is exhibiting any signs of concussions or the coach thinks they have sustained one, we sit them out and then have them evaluated by a medical professional,” said Dan Twomey, Westford Academy’s Director of Athletics.

Every sport is included in this law. One activity that is also included is the marching band. Another activity is Cheerleading. The law hits all spectrums of sports. The law includes all public schools, but no private schools.

There have already been six concussions reported to the Westford Academy trainer, Bill Bombaci, this school year. Last year at this time the amount of concussions reported was about the same. This law is going to help prevent these high numbers of concussions go down. Even though six is not a high number, concussions can be fatal if not treated.

The final aspects of this law are being discussed by the Department of Public Health. In the next coming months or so, the law will have everything in it that is needed.