March 9, 2015

Brandywine Youth Club and the Jefferson Comprehensive Concussion Center are pleased to announce an official partnership in support of Concussion Education and Awareness. The Jefferson Comprehensive Concussion Center, a multi-organization Center of Excellence for the treatment and management of concussions, will provide free education and ImPACT baseline testing to the BYC community as part of the newly established partnership. This program is an initiative designed to promote comprehensive, proactive concussion care and education to the student/athlete, parent, coach and community.

The Jefferson Comprehensive Concussion Center is a collaboration with Thomas Jefferson University, Rothman Institute, and Wills Eye Hospital, centrally located at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. The Center engages in expert comprehensive management of concussive injuries as well as community education and outreach. The Jefferson Comprehensive Concussion Center and Brandywine Youth Club partnership will bring the following opportunities to the BYC community:

  • Basic education for parents and athletes at all levels (intramural/travel/elite). The focus of these educational sessions are to learn how to recognize a concussion, the signs and symptoms of concussion, how to avoid concussive injury, and protocols after sustaining a concussion.
  • These can be completed as group face-to-face educational in-services at the BYC facilities or individually via online courses –
  • Advanced education for coaches. These sessions give more details on the accountability of each coach to not only have an understanding of concussions, but to also feel comfortable in their role regarding removal from play, “return to play,” Pennsylvania laws, and how to best keepathletes safe at all levels.
  • These can be completed as group face-to-face educational in-services at the BYC facilities or individually via online courses –
  • Baseline Screening Programs for the athlete. These screenings assess different areas of cognitive functioning often affected by concussion—areas such as attention, memory, processing speed, visual acuity, and balance.
  • BYC will receive a free ImPACT test for each registered child.
  • ImPACT is a nationally recognized sports-concussion management tool utilized at the youth through professional levels. This tool helps providers manage sports concussions by establishing an athlete’s baseline cognitive functioning prior to play. Post-injury levels for student athletes suffering a concussion vary in many degrees. Knowing an individual’s baseline prior to injury allows for more effective management if an injury occurs.

The partnership will bring these educational opportunities to the BYC organization through multiple in-person trainings at the beginning of each athletic season, and year-round access to online webinars. These sessions will be led by CIC certified sports concussion physicians and ITAT certified athletic trainers who have received additional certifications through the Pennsylvania Athletic Trainers’ Society Department of Health Grant for concussion education.

In support of the BYC mission for continued growth in both sports knowledge and safety, the Jefferson Comprehensive Concussion Center aims to set a standard for comprehensive care to youth groups regionally and nationally by educating athletes, families, and coaches prior to the athletic season.

Please visit Jefferson.edu/concussion for more information on the Jefferson Comprehensive Concussion Center or contact partner representatives listed below.

Brandywine Youth Club and its Board of Directors are very appreciative of this opportunity to partner with the Jefferson Comprehensive Concussion Center.The program at Jefferson offers a comprehensive approach to the education, prevention and treatment of concussions.BYC is focused on providing our children the opportunity to play a variety of sports, while ensuring their safety.This partnership will allow us to take the safety of our athletes to the next level.We would like to thank Jefferson for this opportunity and their support. We are excited to bring this level of care, prevention and education to the BYC community.

Linda Fabrizio MazzoliDave Wrzesniewski

Director – Jefferson Comprehensive Concussion CenterBYC - Player /Parent Coordinator

@comcast.net