MINUTES OF THE

1. Approval of Previous Minutes.

It was VOTED

"That the minutes of the December 19-20, 2002, subcommittee meeting and the April 17, 2003, subcommittee telephone conference be approved as distributed."

2. Strategic Plan. The subcommittee reviewed the strategic plan and established that status reports for each project should be updated and that priority issues would be established as the NCAA continues to evaluate the overall Association strategic plan.

3. Research Issues.

a. Research Review Board. Ms. DeHass discussed that there is an ongoing process to look at the feasibility of developing a research review board. Discussion is still in the early developmental stages within the NCAA research committee.

b. NCAA Research Proposal Forms. The committee reviewed and supported the intent of newly developed research proposal forms and provided feedback with minimal revisions. The subcommittee emphasized that the research funds available to the committee for committee initiatives and unsolicited proposals are rarely funded due to this policy. The research forms will be placed on the NCAA health and safety Web site for public access, with a statement emphasizing this policy.

c. Research Surveys. The subcommittee reviewed separate drafts of surveys for emergency care and the evaluation of the Sports Medicine Handbook (SMH). The subcommittee will continue to work with NCAA research to develop these tools for implementation in the fall 2003.

d. Emergency Care Survey. The subcommittee reviewed a draft of a revised emergency care survey. Suggestions were made on the length of the document, who would fill it out and appropriate methods of distribution.

e. SMH Survey. The committee reviewed a draft of a new survey to establish the efficacy of the SMH. Methods of distribution were discussed and the subcommittee will continue to work with NCAA research to develop the tool for distribution in the fall handbook.

f. Review of Completed and Current Research Projects. The subcommittee reviewed completed funded research on concussion, Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries, and wrestling weight regain. The subcommittee approved financial support for research projects related to the subcommittee initiative to study student-athletes recovery from heat stress in football. The subcommittee also approved to continue support for the Centers for Disease Control ACL study for 2003-04.

g. Current and Completed Research. The subcommittee reviewed current research projects and recommended funding for the following 2002-03 projects:

(1) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - ACL Prevention Study. The subcommittee reviewed a status report of the study where preliminary reports show a decreased incidence of non-contact ACL injuries in women. Findings may be presented at the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine meeting in July. Also reviewed was the request for continued funding of the epidemiological study of NCAA female athletes.

(2) Reviewed the Guskiewicz concussion study manuscripts.

(3) Reviewed the Oppliger wrestling weight regain poster that was presented at the America College of Sports Medicine annual meeting in 2003.

(4) Reviewed currently funded football recovery studies that will be conducted in 2003.

h. Identification of New Funding for 2003-04. The subcommittee identified topics to support with its sports science research dollars for the 2003-04 fiscal year. Specific recommendations included:

(1) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – ACL Prevention Study, $7,500.

(2) University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill Catastrophic Injury Study, $10,000.

(3) Wrestling body composition studies at NCAA wrestling championships, $4,000.

(4) Redo the 1998 Wrestling Survey, $15,000.

(5) Football recovery study support, $15,000.

(6) ISS enhancements, $15,000.

(7) Redo 1998 Emergency Care and Coverage Survey in association with the NCAA research staff, $3,000.

4. NCAA Injury Surveillance System (ISS).

a. ISS Data. The subcommittee will review the 2002-03 winter and spring ISS data and compare it to cumulative data for the winter meeting to identify any dramatic changes, trends and research priorities. It was also noted that the NCAA staff might at times choose to review specific sports.

b. ISS Enhancements.

(1) Phase II Web-Based Pilot. The subcommittee reviewed the ISS Website enhancements. Mr. Dick provided an update that the pilot study will continue this fall and involve the same three sports: field hockey, men’s soccer and women’s soccer. Mr. Dick noted that the Web-based system continues to receive positive responses.

(2) Future Web-Based Enhancements. Mr. Dick reviewed the progress on the next phase of the ISS enhancement and noted that all of the new enhancements would be in place by the summer of 2004. The subcommittee supported the progress and the current process of educating athletic trainers, administrators and other medical personnel about the system development.

(3) Institutional Review Board (IRB). The subcommittee discussed the need to continue to examine the necessity for the ISS review though a primacy review committee or an IRB to provide assurance to participating schools that the ISS has scientific merit and provides confidentiality for participants.

c. ISS Publication. Mr. Dick informed the subcommittee that there is interest from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association to publish the cumulative data from the ISS system in a special publication of the Journal of Athletic Training. Mr. Dick asked if subcommittee members were interested in writing articles on particular sports. The subcommittee supported the idea of publishing the data and will identify volunteers in its December meeting.

d. HIPAA Authorization/Buckley Amendment Consent Form. Mr. Dick informed the subcommittee that the consent form has been developed and approved by the NCAA general counsel. The form will not be used until 2004-05 because the Web-based system that will be used this fall is the same as last year.

e. The subcommittee suggested that Mr. Dick present the purpose of the ISS system at the divisional Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) meetings.

5. Fall-Sports Preseason Model. The subcommittee noted that the next logical step following the successful approval and acknowledgement of the positive benefits of acclimatization and recovery with the football preseason model would be to examine other fall sports with a preseason. Data suggests that heat injuries do occur in other sports that have a fall preseason and the general injuries rates in the preseason are three times higher for those sports as compared to the regular season. The committee recommends, through divisional funding or as a new health and safety budget item, the development of educational materials for all divisions emphasizing the importance of recovery and acclimatization. In conjunction with this educational agenda, the subcommittee recommended all fall sports use acclimatization and recovery principles to develop their fall preseason practice schedules for the purpose of health and safety and student-athlete welfare.

The subcommittee recommended all divisions or respective sport committees adopt an acclimatization and recovery model for all fall sports that include a preseason beginning in 2004. Highlights of the model include:

(a) Prior to participation in any preseason practice activities, all student-athletes initially entering the department of athletics shall be required to undergo a medical examination administered by a physician.

(b) Preseason practice shall begin with a three-day acclimatization period for both first-time participants (e.g., freshman and transfers), as well as continuing student-athletes.

(c) Student-athletes shall not engage in more than three hours of practice activities on those days during which one practice is permitted.

(d) Conditioning, speed, strength or agility tests shall not be conducted prior to the three-day acclimatization period.

(e) Subsequent to the initial three days, an institution may not conduct multiple practice sessions (e.g., two-a-days or three-a-days) on consecutive days (e.g., two-one-two-one format).

(f) Student-athletes shall not engage in more than five hours of practice activities on those days during which more than one practice is permitted.

(g) On days that institutions conduct multiple practice sessions, student-athletes must be provided with at least three continuous hours of recovery time between practice sessions. During this time student-athletes may not attend any meetings or engage in other athletic activities (e.g., weight lifting); however, time spent receiving treatment and eating meals may be included as part of the recovery time.

(h) During the preseason practice period only and subsequent to the three-day acclimatization period, on-field walk-through sessions are not considered an on-field activity, provided protective equipment is not worn, equipment related to the sport is not used and conditioning activities do not occur. Walk-through sessions may occur only on days during which a single on-field practice session is permitted and shall be limited to one hour in length. Student-athletes must be provided with at least three hours of continuous recovery time between the end of the practice session and the start of the walk-through session.

(i) It should be noted that any extensions in sport preseason time frames place new time demands on sports medicine personnel as well as financial impacts on departments of athletics that should be addressed at the institutional level appropriately.

[Note: The meeting recessed at 5 p.m.]

Saturday, June 21

The meeting was called to order at 9 a.m. by the chair, Dr. Sharkey. All members were present as noted above.

6. Sport Specific Issues. The subcommittee reviewed sport specific safety issues in the following sports.

a. Wrestling.

(1) BOD POD. The subcommittee reviewed a protocol for the use of the BOD POD technology in assessing body compositions for wrestlers and approved it for inclusion into the wrestling certification program booklet for 2003-04.

(2) Specific Gravity. The subcommittee reviewed a request from the NCAA Wrestling Rules Committee to change the specific gravity limit for weight certification protocols. Based on a review of the research literature, findings did not substantiate a need for changing the specific gravity limit. In fact, if the level would be changed, the subcommittee noted that an even lower number would equate to a more hydrated wrestler. The current 1.020 level estimates a wrestler as minimally dehydrated with a one to three percent reduction from their ideal body weight.

It was VOTED

“To retain the current specific gravity standards of 1.020 rather than the NCAA Wrestling Rules Committee’s recommended increase to the 1.023 level.”

(3) Wrestling Rule Modification. The subcommittee reviewed the weight class movement rule recommendation from the NCAA Wrestling Rules Committee and requested the following modifications be made prior to subcommittee approval. [Note: The subcommittee will review the impacts of this rule modification at its summer 2004 meeting.]

(a) The subcommittee recommended that this weight class movement cannot exceed three official weigh-ins per wrestler and that a form be developed to track these special incidences.

(b) The subcommittee emphasized that wrestlers should follow recommended weight loss plan during these episodes that allows an average loss of one and a half percent of body weight per week.

b. Women’s Lacrosse.

(1) Dr. Costello was recognized as a current member of the U.S. Lacrosse Sports Science Safety Committee.

(2) Eyewear.

(a) The findings from the fall 2003 women’s lacrosse eyewear pilot study involving NCAA institutions were reviewed.

(b) The subcommittee continued support for the initiative to mandate protective eyewear in women’s lacrosse for the NCAA championships in 2004. The subcommittee again discussed the position statement about protective eyewear from the U.S. Lacrosse that mandates the eyewear in 2005 and strongly recommends in 2004. The subcommittee continues to encourage the need to educate student-athletes, coaches and officials on the risk of head, face and eye injuries.

(3) Helmets. The subcommittee discussed the use of helmets in the sport of women’s lacrosse. Due to concerns of greater risk of injuries to the head and face, including the eye, the subcommittee will explore the positives and negatives of adding hard headgear to the list of permissible equipment in women’s lacrosse. The subcommittee will review current literature and injury data in the sport of women’s lacrosse and will report back in its winter meeting.

c. Men’s Lacrosse Helmet. The subcommittee reviewed a concern related to the facemask from the Cascade C Pro men’s helmet that shifted upon impact and caused injuries to the face of the student-athlete wearing the headgear on more than one occasion. The committee felt that a letter should be sent to the manufacture informing them of these incidences so that the company may take the appropriate steps to ensure the health and safety of collegiate student-athletes.

d. Field Hockey. The subcommittee voted to recommend the rules of field hockey be amended to include language that permits protective eyewear as permissible special protective equipment. The subcommittee requested a continued analysis of ISS data to determine the seriousness of potential head injuries in addition to the catastrophic eye injury risk in the sport of field hockey. The subcommittee has begun to explore the mandate of eyewear in the sport of field hockey based on ISS data, SMH Guideline 4b and the recommendations of other professional organizations.

e. Football.

(1) Medical Coverage For Sports During Summer Months. The subcommittee recommended that discussions with directors of athletics and coaches associations related to medical care coverage begin as soon as possible. The subcommittee recommended the NCAA and its member institutions examine the increased sports medicine and athletic training staff personnel time and financial impact of the summer conditioning model for football. Member institutions may need to examine additional staff needs due to the additional time commitments of current employees. The subcommittee recommended that each member institution reference the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Appropriate Medical Coverage of Intercollegiate Athletics document to begin discussion of theses issues between the institution’s administration and the medical care providers of its student-athletes.

(2) Spring Football. The subcommittee noted that the Division II Football Issues Project Team no longer recommended legislation changes to modify their spring practice schedule. The subcommittee recognized the transition from helmet to helmet and shoulder pads to full equipment may be a more appropriate model to follow for spring football practice schedules. Due to a lack of current health and safety issues at this time, the subcommittee will continue to evaluate spring injury rates in subsequent years and recommended further modifications as deemed necessary.

f. Softball and Baseball Bats. The subcommittee believed that at this time the sport of baseball has taken steps to improve the safety of student-athletes with updated standards. However, the subcommittee is concerned that the current standards for softball bats at the collegiate level may be inadequate and recommends reviewing the current standards to determine whether they are appropriate for and specific to the fast pitch softball game. In addition, the subcommittee will review whether random testing of softball bats should be pursued.

g. Soccer Re-Entry Rule. Following considerable concern from the medical community, the subcommittee discussed the impact of the recent soccer re-entry rule change. For health and safety reasons, the subcommittee does not support the soccer re-entry rule change. The subcommittee believed that the rule does not actively promote the health and safety of the student-athlete. Concerns about student-athletes not reporting injuries, especially head injuries, and heat related conditions that can occur in soccer yet are difficult to detect especially for an official. Concerns were also noted as to whether coaches or players would actively practice the situation of playing a player down to provide the opportunity to complete a proper medical evaluation.

h. Medical Screening of Game Officials. The subcommittee noted that although the NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports is not charged with the health care of officials, there are growing concerns about the health status of game officials and the implications on the membership institution’s sports medicine departments. The subcommittee recommended that the NCAA and its conferences address the health status and care implications of these individuals as it relates to sports medicine emergency care coverage.

7. Educational Issues.

a. NCAA Sports Medicine Handbook. The subcommittee approved changes to Guidelines 1d, 2b, 2n and legislative issues. The subcommittee approved adding the insurance bylaws to the legislative component and to add the Transparent Eye Shield Rule in football to the protective equipment section.

b. Division II Heat Illness Prevention Posters. The subcommittee reviewed and approved the posters with minor changes. The subcommittee suggested supplying the posters to all divisions, if possible, for educational purposes because they relate to all student-athletes.

San Diego, California

Friday, June 20

Saturday, June 21