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www.sportseventsmagazine.com January 2016 31 SPORT Report t Up Football training program. Scott Hallenbeck, USA Football chief executive offcer, agreed that research shows a turning point. "Independent re- search, including a published study in the peer-reviewed 'Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine' this past July, shows our Heads Up Football delivering encourag- ing results on high school and youth lev- els," Hallenbeck said. "We're keeping the sport's fun and ftness benefts ascending while signifcantly lowering injury rates, keeping players safer. This is a win for our kids and families." Heads Up Football establishes stan- dards and certifcation programs for coaches with a goal to make the sport safer. It also advocates education in con- cussion recognition and response so that players who are injured get help quickly. Youth sports, overall, are in the midst of a decline, dropping by 9.3 percent during the past fve years, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Associa- tion. The decline is not just in football. In fact, of the 22 youth sports that the SFIA tracks, 15 have reported participation declines from 2009-14, including soccer, basketball and baseball. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which helped develop the Heads Up pro- gram, reports about 55,000 concussions each year in youth football. "All of us in the high school and youth sports community seek to reverse this trend," Hallenbeck said. "We continue to partner with leaders across medicine and sport to change behavior for the better through education." More than 1,100 high schools and nearly 70 percent of the U.S. youth leagues registered for USA Football Heads Up Football program in 2015, he said, adding that seven college athletic conferences now endorse and recommend Heads Up Football in addition to a total of 20 state high school athletic associa- tions and high school football coaches associations spanning 18 states. "This is exciting momentum – it's an important movement. More industry leaders committed to young athletes con- tinue to join our team, share our priorities and help advance our work," Hallenbeck said, acknowledging, all of that is good for the sport. "Football offers a great way to gain exercise in a team environment and there's a position on the feld for players of every size and ability," he said. "That's part of what makes football distinctly American." But, he added, there is more to be done. "Through these friendships and a ► CONCUSSION SIGNS OBSERVED BY COACHING STAFF CONCUSSION SYMPTOMS REPORTED BY ATHLETE • Appears dazed or stunned (such as glassy eyes) • Is confused about assignment or position • Forgets an instruction or play • Is unsure of score or opponent • Moves clumsily/poor balance • Answers questions slowly • Loses consciousness (even briefly) • Shows mood, behavior or personality changes • Can't recall events prior to hit or fall • Can't recall events after hit or fall • Headache or "pressure" in head • Nausea or vomiting • Balance problems or dizziness • Double or blurry vision • Sensitivity to light or noise • Feeling sluggish, hazy, foggy or groggy • Concentration or memory problems • Confusion • Does not "feel right" or is "feeling down" Courtesy of USA Youth Football Gerardo Mora/Pop Warner