Conference

WALNUT CREEK – California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) commissioner, Robert J. Hiegert, today announced an official partnership with the Sports Concussion Institute (SCI) to serve as the Official Sports Concussion Consultant to the conference and its member institutions.

“The CCAA and its membership understand the importance of student-athlete health and welfare, especially as it relates to head trauma and the potential long-term effects that can be attributed to concussive events during athletic participation”, Hiegert said.

“The Sports Concussion Institute is extremely excited about its partnership with the California Collegiate Athletic Association as its official sports concussion management consultant in service of student-athletes within the CCAA network, Dr. Tony Strickland, neuropsychologist and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for the SCI, said.

“The CCAA, like SCI, has a long history of commitment to athlete health and safety, and SCI looks forward to helping promote sports concussion awareness, education, and prevention and treatment to this under-recognized but evolving area of public health challenge,” Strickland added. “We are happy that the CCAA has taken a leadership position in the prevention and management of sports-induced concussions, and appreciates the potential impact not just on immediate student-athlete safety, but on their long-term health and wellness.”

Recent NCAA legislation adopted in April 2010 requires that institutions create formal programs to better educate student-athletes, parents, coaches, and institutional personnel in the dangers of concussive-type head injuries.  The legislation also provides language that directly responds to the safe return to participation by a student-athlete who may have suffered a concussive-type injury. 

“The CCAA and its membership takes very seriously the issues addressed in this legislation and are very pleased to partner with SCI,” Hiegert said.  “The experts at SCI will assist us in providing access to leading-edge technology, professionals, and programming to enhance the safety of our student-athletes.”