Spirit and Safety Meet in New CDC Heads Up: Concussion in Youth Sports Partnership

American Association of Cheerleading Coaches Administrators and USA Cheer Join CDC in Raising Concussion Awareness

MEMPHIS, Tenn., July 14, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators (AACCA) and USA Cheer are bringing spirit and safety together as new partners in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Heads Up concussion educational campaign.

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A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head—or hit to the body—that causes the brain to move rapidly back and forth in the skull. Concussions can have long-term consequences on the health, memory, and learning capacity of young athletes if not properly identified and managed.

"We are doing a great deal to promote safety and injury prevention in cheer, and this partnership with CDC's Heads Up campaign is one way to ensure that our sport remains safe for young participants," said USA Cheer Executive Director Bill Seely. "Every injury is one too many. Safety  must be the top priority of our cheerleaders and coaches."

Data from the National Federation of State High School Associations show that competitive cheerleading has increased 46% in the last five years alone, putting the number of high-school cheerleaders at about half a million. Two studies reveal that this high participation in the sport coupled with its year-round nature lead to a higher total number of concussions in cheerleading than in many other sports.  

"Our collaboration with CDC's Heads Up: Concussion in Youth Sports is part of our ongoing commitment to cheerleading safety," said AACCA Executive Director Jim Lord. "AACCA urges every cheerleading coach to check out the CDC concussion website; take the free training for coaches; and use the many free, downloadable concussion materials available there in conjunction with the AACCA Concussion Management and Return to Play Protocol, to help guide them and physicians in properly identifying, managing and helping a cheerleader safely return to play and school."

Heads Up: Concussion in Youth Sports, is designed to help coaches, parents, and athletes recognize the symptoms of a concussion and provides steps that should be taken when an athlete shows signs of a concussion. Following are some of the concussion materials available at www.cdc.gov/Concussion, at no cost:

• An online training for coaches;
• A fact sheet for coaches;
• A fact sheet for athletes;
• A fact sheet for parents;
• A magnet with concussion facts for coaches and parents;
• A poster with concussion facts for coaches and sports administrators; and
• A quiz for coaches, athletes and parents.

For more information about concussion, also visit www.cdc.gov/Concussion.

About the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators
The American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators represents more than 20,000 cheerleading coaches and is recognized as the leading advocate of cheerleading safety in the U.S. AACCA is the most recognized source for cheerleading safety education. The AACCA manual, composed by a team of doctors, lawyers, cheerleading industry professionals and Gerald S. George, Ph.D., has been endorsed by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the University Risk Management and Insurance Association, the Women's Sports Foundation and the National Athletic Trainers' Association, as well as the NCAA and NFHS.

About USA Cheer (USA Federation for Sport Cheering)
The USA Federation for Sport Cheering is a not-for-profit organization and is the national governing body for all disciplines of cheerleading. USA Cheer exists to serve the entire cheer community, including club cheering (All Star), traditional school based cheer programs and the new sport of STUNT. USA Cheer has three primary objectives: help grow and develop interest and participation in Cheer throughout the United States; promote safety and safety education for cheer in the United States; and represent the United States of America in international cheer competitions.  

About the CDC Heads Up campaign
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) created the "Heads Up" national educational initiatives for: health care providers and patients, school professionals, sports coaches, parents, and kids and teens. The focus of CDC's "Heads Up" initiatives are to improve prevention, recognition, and response to traumatic brain injury, including concussion, by getting key information to emergency departments, doctors offices, playing fields, homes, and classrooms and schools nationwide.

SOURCE USA Cheer