August 22, 2014 (Ottawa, ON) – The Coaching Association of Canada (CAC), as the leader of coach education and training in Canada, strongly supports the recommendations made by the Canadian Concussion Collaborative that call for an end to the haphazard approach to current concussion management for all sports in Canada.

“Coaches play a key role in injury prevention for all of Canada’s athletes – from the grassroots to the podium,” said Lorraine Lafrenière, CEO of the CAC. “They are on the front lines on the playing fields, at the hockey arenas, and wherever sport is played. Because educated and certified coaches are better equipped to teach children correct technique, proper training principles, and fair and ethical sport, they are key players in reducing the rate and severity of concussions and brain injuries in sport – many of which can be prevented through greater awareness of the risks and preventative strategies.”

As part of the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Active and Safe initiative, with the involvement of medical experts Dr. Jamie Kissick, Dr. Mark Aubry, and Dr. Charles Tator, the Canadian Soccer Association, Football Canada, Canada Snowboard, the Canadian Freestyle Ski Association, and Speed Skating Canada, the CAC developed the free “Making Head Way” eLearning series which is designed to help coaches reduce the incidence of brain injuries in team sports and to improve decision-making about when it is safe to return to play after a head injury.

The series includes the non-sport-specific Making Head Way in Sport module and sport-specific modules for soccer, football, snowboard, freestyle ski, and speed skating. A concussion IQ quiz, interactive animations that demonstrate what happens to the brain during various types of impact to the body, and real concussion stories from both coaches and athletes that teach us all that no one is invincible from brain injuries, are also available on coach.ca.

Many sport organizations have integrated these eLearning modules directly into their National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) pathways, ensuring that they reach the maximum number of coaches, and to date, more than 3000 NCCP coaches have completed one of the modules.

“Football Canada is proud to be partners with the CAC, supporting coaches by providing resources and education on concussion awareness and protocols through such programs as Making Head Way in Football, a program that is available to coaches at no charge and helps support the Football Canada Safe Contact program. These two programs are great ways for coaches across the country to take an active initiative in the safety of the game and their athletes,” said Shannon Donovan, Executive Director of Football Canada.

The Government of Canada invested $1.5 million in this collaborative initiative, which included the knowledge and expertise from the Canadian Centre for Ethics and Sport, Hockey Canada, and Parachute (formerly ThinkFirst Canada).

The CAC’s Concussion Awareness section which is available to ALL coaches, trainers, and parents, can be accessed by visiting www.coach.ca/concussion.