The Board of Education believes that interscholastic athletics are an important part of the District’s instructional program. Students who wish to participate in the District’s interscholastic athletic program shall be under the direct supervision of the coaches. The coaches shall be appointed by
the Board, upon the recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools.
The rules of conduct for participants in the interscholastic athletic program shall be developed consistently with the Board’s belief that athletics are primarily educational in nature. The coaches are responsible for developing standards which shall ensure the safety and health of the students.
The Building Principal and the Director of Health, Physical Education and Athletics shall approve all aspects of the athletic program.
In order to be eligible for participation, students must meet the eligibility requirements set forth in
Policy 5200 and Regulation 5200-R.. Students are also required to have written parent or guardian consent, which will contain information on mild traumatic brain injury.
In addition, standards must be met in the selection/classification process for all secondary school interscholastic athletic programs. All participating students must be placed at levels of competition appropriate to their physiological maturity, physical fitness and skills in relation to other students
on those teams in accordance with standards established by the Commissioner of Education.
The Board permits pupils in grades no lower than seventh grade to compete on interscholastic athletic teams organized for senior high school pupils, or senior high school pupils to compete on interscholastic athletic teams organized for pupils in the seventh and eighth grades, provided that
the pupils successfully complete the Athletic Placement Process for the requested sport and level and receiving final approval from the Athletic Director.
Concussion Management
In an effort to better manage the occurrence of concussions, New York State has set requirements and guidelines for the recognition, treatment, and return to play criteria after a concussion. All Valley Central Nurses, Athletic Trainers, Coaches, and Physical Education Teachers are required
to take an online concussion management course provided by the Center for Disease Control Concussion. Heads Up Coaching Course. The Valley Central School District has created a concussion management team composed of the Valley Central District Athletic Trainer, School Nurse and Athletic Director. This team will oversee the proper implementation of the Concussion Act requirements. The VCSD Board of Education has approved a policy on concussion management which can be accessed on the district or athletic websites. Further information and resources for athletes and parents on concussion management are available here:
Parent/Guardian Information and Fact Sheets
NYSPHSAA Fact Sheet for Parent/Athletes
Concussion Management Protocol
The Concussion Management and Awareness Act requires the immediate removal from athletic activities of any pupil believed to have sustained or who has sustained a mild traumatic brain injury (concussion). In the event that there is any doubt as to whether a pupil has sustained a concussion, it shall be presumed that he or she has been injured until proven otherwise. No such pupil shall resume athletic activity until he or she shall have been symptom free for not less than twenty-four hours, and has been evaluated by and received written and signed authorization from a licensed physician. The physician clearance will then be forwarded to the Valley Central
School District’s Medical Director for district clearance.
Return to Play
Return to play following a concussion involves a stepwise progression once the individual is symptom free. This policy contains a summary of those requirements. Please refer to 5280-R for more details regarding return to play for both athletics and academics. There are many risks to INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETICS AND CONCUSSION MANAGEMENT 5280 premature return to play including: a greater risk for a second concussion because of a lower
concussion threshold; a second impact syndrome (abnormal brain blood flow that can result in death); exacerbation of any current symptoms, and possibly increased risk for additional injury due to alteration in balance. These New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) current return to play recommendations are based on the most recent international
expert panel report and best practice. During the return to play protocol, the student may watch practices and sit on the bench at games (in street clothes), unless it exacerbates their symptoms.
Athletes may begin Step 1 approximately 24-48 hours after injury
• Steps 1-3 can occur while symptomatic
• Minimum of 24 hours between steps
• Symptom Monitoring
Increase of more than 2 points stop
Example: Start at 4 and increase to 7
Students are prohibited from returning to play the day the concussion is sustained. If there is any doubt as to whether a student has sustained a concussion, it should be treated as a concussion.
Once the student-athlete is symptom free at rest for 24 hours and has a signed release by a treating clinician, he/she may begin the return to play progression below (provided there are no other mitigating circumstances).
Return to Play: Athletes
Step 1: Light aerobic activity- limited activity
Step 2: Aerobic Moderate Exercises (50%)
Step 3: Aerobic Moderate Exercises (70%)
*Medical Clearance needed to proceed
Step 4: Non-contact training drills
Step 5: Full contact practice
Step 6: Return to play
Each step should take 24 hours so that an athlete would take approximately one week to proceed through the full rehabilitation protocol, once they are asymptomatic at rest and with provocative exercise. If any post-concussion symptoms occur while in the stepwise program beyond what is
present (elevated by 3 or more points), then the student should drop back to the previous asymptomatic level or symptomatic state. Try to progress again after a further 24-hour period of rest has passed.
*These NYSPHSAA current return to play recommendations are based on the most recent International “Consensus Statement on Concussion in Sport”- . Return to Play Protocol- Amsterdam 2023*
Cross-ref: 5200, Cocurricular and Extracurricular Programs
Ref: 8 NYCRR §135.4
8 NYCRR §136.5
Education Law §305(42)
Adoption date: May 27, 1997
Revised: December 10, 2001
Revised: September 24, 2012
Revised: January 11, 2016
Reviewed: May 22, 2017
Reviewed: June 11, 2026