Concussion Management
We take player safety very seriously at Winnacott Kats. Concussion is an understandable concern for parents and players. We work with coaches to train players to avoid concussion situations, identify symptoms and understand the process once a concussion is suspected.
In 2024, The West Australian Football Commission adopted the latest advice from the Australian Sports Commission and Australian Institute of Sport in the treatment of concussion. Winnacott will unwaveringly implement these rules to ensure the safety of our players.
Players who suffer a concussion, or are suspected of having a concussion must:
- Be removed from the game or training session.
- Referred to a medical doctor for assessment.
Any player affected by concussion must not play for a minimum 21 days from the time of initial concussion.
Additionally, a player who has received a concussion must be free of concussion symptoms for a minimum 14 before being allowed to return to play.
Any player suffering concussion must be managed under the care of a medical professional. Advice from the medical professional will be required to allow a return to play.
All Junior and Youth players are required to wear a properly fitting mouthguard. Mouthguards have been found to play a very important part in avoiding concussions and minimising the impact of head knocks.
Sport-Related Concussion Short Course
We encourage parents, carers, volunteers and players to undertake the online concussion education course. The course takes 15 minutes to complete. The course is self-paced, so you can enrol today and complete it at any time.
Enrolling in our course will take you to the Sport-Related Concussion Short Course landing page where you will need to create an account. Creating an account is free and super easy. The link to the course is to the right.