Feb 25, 2015
New Protocol Gives More Power to Athletic Trainers

Despite heated debate and several Big 12 schools’ votes against it, the NCAA passed a new concussion protocol at its first-ever autonomy session this past January. At that session, University of Oklahoma student-athlete representative Ty Darlington championed the “nay” vote, calling for an additional clause in the legislation that would give the final say on head injuries to medical personnel. Now, just one month later, the Big 12 Conference has taken the matters into its own hands, enacting additional stipulations in line with Darlington’s plea. 

According to NewsOK:

  • The conference’s policy, which was developed by Big 12 athletics trainers, doctors, and medical support staff, grants “unchallenged authority” to doctors and athletic trainers in the event of a head injury.
  • Big 12 member schools are expected to follow the NCAA guidelines for concussion management and are required to have a team physician-directed concussion management plan and a specific protocol for evaluation and management of a concussion on file.

“This policy goes beyond what was approved during the recent NCAA Autonomy Governance, and puts all associated protocols where they belong; in the hands of trained medical staff,” Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby said in a news release.

  • Darlington’s passionate campaign to alter the concussion protocol stems from watching his brother suffer a major concussion during his high school senior season. 

 “That’s exactly what I wanted,” Darlington told NewsOK in regard to the Big 12’s decision. “I just hope other conferences adopt similar policies.” 

Read the full Big 12 press release announcing its new concussion policy.

 




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