IV 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 72 

Supporting the goals and ideals of the Secondary School Student Athletes’ 

Bill of Rights. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 15, 2013 

Mr. GERLACH (for himself and Mr. NUNES) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for 

a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 

consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting the goals and ideals of the Secondary School 

Student Athletes’ Bill of Rights. 

Whereas over 7,700,000 student athletes participated in secondary school athletics during the 2011 to 2012 academic year; 

Whereas it is estimated that over the course of the 2011 to 

2012 academic year, secondary school student athletes 

participating in 9 of the most popular high school sports, 

including football, boys’ and girls’ soccer, girls’ volleyball, 

boys’ and girls’ basketball, wrestling, baseball, and softball, suffered over 1,300,000 instances of injury; 


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•HRES 72 IH 

Whereas 22 percent of injuries suffered by secondary school 

student athletes during the 2011 to 2012 academic year 

were concussions; 

Whereas the number of concussion injuries has steadily increased from 9 percent of total injuries incurred during 

the 2005 to 2006 academic year to nearly 25 percent of 

all injuries experienced by student athletes during the 

2011 to 2012 academic year; 

Whereas secondary school student athletes with access to certified athletic health care professionals have lower overall 

injury rates, lower recurrent injury rates, and lower concussion rates than student athletes without access to certified athletic health care professionals; 

Whereas with an increase in both the exposure of secondary 

school students to athletics and incidents of athletic-related injuries, schools are encouraged to develop and 

adopt best practices and standards to prevent and address student athlete injury; 

Whereas the Secondary School Student Athletes’ Bill of 

Rights sets forth that secondary school student athletes 

have the right to— 

(1) be coached by individuals who are well-trained in 

sport-specific safety and to be monitored by athletic 

health care team members; 

(2) quality, regular pre-participation examinations 

and each athlete has the right to participate under a 

comprehensive concussion management plan; 

(3) participate in sporting activities on safe, clean 

playing surfaces, in both indoor and outdoor facilities; 

(4) utilize equipment and uniforms that are safe, 

fitted appropriately, and routinely maintained, and to apVerDate Mar 15 2010 22:47 Feb 15, 2013 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR72.IH HR72

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•HRES 72 IH 

propriate personnel trained in proper removal of equipment in case of injury; 

(5) participate safely in all environmental conditions 

where play follows approved guidelines and medical policies and procedures, with a hydration plan in place; 

(6) a safe playing environment with venue-specific 

emergency action plans that are coordinated by the athletic health care team and regularly rehearsed with local 

emergency personnel; 

(7) privacy of health information and proper referral 

for medical, psychosocial, and nutritional counseling; 

(8) participate in a culture that finds ‘‘playing 

through pain’’ unacceptable unless there has been a medical assessment; 

(9) immediate, on-site injury assessments with decisions made by qualified sports medicine professionals; 

and 

(10) along with their parents, the latest information 

about the benefits and potential risks of participation in 

competitive sports, including access to statistics on fatalities and catastrophic injuries to youth athletes; and 

Whereas the Secondary School Student Athletes’ Bill of 

Rights, which sets forth goals and ideals to improve the 

health, well-being, and athletic experience of secondary 

school students, can serve as a valuable resource to reduce injury, promote athlete safety, and encourage wellbeing: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) expresses support for the principles and val3 ues set forth in the Secondary School Student Ath4 letes’ Bill of Rights; 


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1 (2) recognizes the importance of proper safety 

2 measures, timely medical assessments, and appro3 priate environmental conditions in ensuring the 

4 health and well-being of secondary school student 

5 athletes; 

6 (3) recognizes the role that teachers, parents, 

7 coaches, and athletic health care team members play 

8 in ensuring the safety and well-being of secondary 

9 school student athletes; 

10 (4) expresses support for secondary schools that 

11 have successfully implemented programs, policies, 

12 and practices to emphasize and encourage student 

13 athlete safety and well-being; and 

14 (5) encourages secondary schools to continue to 

15 take all available and reasonable efforts to ensure 

16 student athlete safety. 

Æ 


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