NFHS Risk Management & Mitigation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which environmental modification is most effective at reducing cumulative concussion risk during football practice?
- Limiting full-contact practice sessions per week (Correct answer)
- Requiring players to wear mouthguards
- Scheduling practices in the morning
- Reducing the number of players on the field
Correct answer: Limiting full-contact practice sessions per week
Limiting full-contact practices reduces the total number of head impacts athletes sustain, directly lowering cumulative concussion risk.
Question 2: A coach notices a player displaying unusual behavior after a collision but the player insists they feel fine. What is the appropriate risk-mitigation action?
- Remove the athlete from play and evaluate for concussion (Correct answer)
- Allow the athlete to continue if they confirm no symptoms
- Wait until the end of the quarter to reassess
- Ask teammates whether they noticed anything unusual
Correct answer: Remove the athlete from play and evaluate for concussion
Under 'when in doubt, sit them out' protocol, observable signs of concussion override the athlete's self-report and require immediate removal.
Question 3: What is the primary purpose of baseline neurocognitive testing in a concussion risk management program?
- To provide a pre-injury comparison point for post-injury assessment (Correct answer)
- To predict which athletes are most likely to sustain a concussion
- To determine an athlete's eligibility to participate in contact sports
- To replace the need for physician evaluation after a head injury
Correct answer: To provide a pre-injury comparison point for post-injury assessment
Baseline testing establishes individual pre-injury norms so clinicians can objectively measure post-injury cognitive changes.
Question 4: Which action best demonstrates a school's proactive approach to concussion risk mitigation?
- Annually educating athletes, parents, and coaches on concussion signs and protocols (Correct answer)
- Purchasing the most expensive helmets available
- Having a team physician present at every game
- Requiring all athletes to sign a concussion waiver
Correct answer: Annually educating athletes, parents, and coaches on concussion signs and protocols
Annual education of all stakeholders ensures awareness and proper response, which is the foundation of a proactive concussion prevention program.
Question 5: Under NFHS guidelines, who is ultimately responsible for implementing a school's concussion management policy?
- School administrators and athletic directors (Correct answer)
- The team physician alone
- Individual coaching staff
- State athletic associations
Correct answer: School administrators and athletic directors
School administrators and athletic directors are responsible for ensuring concussion policies are implemented and followed across all programs.
Question 6: A football player returns a kickoff and lands hard on his head. He gets up slowly but trots back to the huddle. What risk management step should occur immediately?
- Remove the player and conduct a sideline concussion evaluation (Correct answer)
- Allow play to continue since the player returned to the huddle independently
- Notify parents at halftime of the incident
- Administer smelling salts to help the player regain full alertness
Correct answer: Remove the player and conduct a sideline concussion evaluation
Any significant head impact requiring slow recovery warrants immediate removal for evaluation regardless of the player's apparent recovery.
Question 7: Which element is essential in a written Emergency Action Plan (EAP) for concussion risk management at an athletic venue?
- Designated roles for who activates EMS and who meets emergency responders (Correct answer)
- A list of all athletes' insurance providers
- Contact information for the school board
- A schedule of upcoming athletic events
Correct answer: Designated roles for who activates EMS and who meets emergency responders
An effective EAP must clearly assign roles so that emergency response is immediate and coordinated without confusion.
NFHS Risk Management & Mitigation 2
Which environmental modification is most effective at reducing cumulative concussion risk during football practice?