Football New Brunswick's Josh Harris sees progress on concussions

Football players and coaches in New Brunswick are getting the message about preventing head injuries and concussions, says the executive director of Football New Brunswick.

The governing body has adopted some national standards and made some rules of its own about head injuries in recent years.

Josh Harris thinks that may have contributed to a 70 per cent increase in sport-related head injuries  between 2011 and 2015.

It's actually, believe it or not, a positive result, we think.- Josh Harris, Football New Brunswick

"It's actually, believe it or not, a positive result, we think," said Harris.

"What that tells us is that I think the message is being sent loud and clear about the risk of concussions in contact sports in general," he said.

The top five sports sending athletes to emergency room with head injuries were hockey, rugby, football, soccer and cycling, according to the New Brunswick Trauma Program.

• New Brunswick sees 70% hike in sports head injuries

"Players are being sent to professionals, to the ER, more frequently than they used to be when they have a suspected concussion," said Harris. "That's exactly what we've been educating our coaches and players and parents to do.

"In the past, before the concussion-awareness was so strong, you would see a lot of players who would have signs and symptoms, they wouldn't report them. Or coaches would tell them to get back on the field and they wouldn't go to the ER."

Harris said Football New Brunswick is entering its third season with a concussion and return to play policy, that includes nationally-imposed standards.

More than 250 coaches have taken a safe contact coaching clinic over the past two years and Harris said by next April, all of the province's coaches will have completed the course.

Head out of game rule

Football New Brunswick also went further than national requirements and created a "head out of the game" rule. It results in a penalty for any player who makes the head or neck of another player the first point of contact.

"This rule will help eliminate the amount of head-to-head contact that is occurring in the province," said Harris.

Information Morning - Fredericton9:04Josh Harris - Concussions

Christine McLean talks to the executive director of Football NB about what it is doing to prevent concussions."The New Brunswick officials said they saw a decrease in the number of head-to-head contacts as the players got flagged and they really are starting to get the message they can't be doing that."

Harris said the New Brunswick High School Football League, which does not fall under Football New Brunswick, is adopting that rule this fall and calls it "a great sign."

"They're not even a member of Football New Brunswick but they also see the importance of these rules," said Harris.

"The fact that they are taking this on is a huge step for the province as well."