III 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 83 

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

Bill of Rights. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 23, 2015 

Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself and Ms. COLLINS) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, 

Labor, and Pensions 

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 2012 to 2013 academic year; 

Whereas it is estimated that in 2012, 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; 

Whereas every 3 minutes, a child is treated in an emergency 

department for a sports-related concussion, accounting 


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•SRES 83 IS 

for more than 8 percent of all sports-related emergency 

cases; 

Whereas the number of sports-related concussion injuries has 

doubled in the last 15 years among student athletes aged 

8 to 19, despite an overall decrease in the number of students participating in sports; 

Whereas sudden cardiac arrest (‘‘SCA’’) is the leading cause 

of death for youth participating in sports or exercising, 

with upwards of 80 percent of those suffering from SCA 

being asymptomatic prior to cardiac arrest; 

Whereas instances of heat-related illness have more than doubled since 1997 and affect high school football players at 

an average rate that is 10 times higher than that of participants in other sports; 

Whereas approximately 1,500 children aged 12 to 17 were 

treated in an emergency department for energy drink-related emergencies in 2011; 

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 in light of the increase in athletic-related injuries to 

student athletes, 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— 


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•SRES 83 IS 

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

in sport-specific safety and to be monitored by athletic 

health care team members; 

(2) to quality, regular pre-participation examinations 

and each athlete has the right to participate under a 

comprehensive concussion management plan; 

(3) to participate in sporting activities on safe, clean 

playing surfaces, in both indoor and outdoor facilities; 

(4) to utilize equipment and uniforms that are safe, 

fitted appropriately, and routinely maintained; 

(5) to appropriate personnel trained in proper removal of equipment in case of injury; 

(6) to participate safely in all environmental conditions where play follows approved guidelines and medical 

policies and procedures, with a hydration plan in place; 

(7) to 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; 

(8) to privacy of health information and proper referral for medical, psychosocial, and nutritional counseling; 

(9) to participate in a culture that finds ‘‘playing 

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

(10) to immediate, on-site injury assessments with 

decisions made by qualified sports medicine professionals; 

and 

(11) along with their parents, to 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 


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•SRES 83 IS 

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 Senate— 

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

5 (2) recognizes the importance of proper safety 

6 measures, timely medical assessments, and appro7 priate environmental conditions in ensuring the 

8 health and well-being of secondary school student 

9 athletes; 

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

11 coaches, and athletic health care team members play 

12 in ensuring the safety and well-being of secondary 

13 school student athletes; 

14 (4) expresses support for secondary schools that 

15 have successfully implemented programs, policies, 

16 and practices to emphasize and encourage student 

17 athlete safety and well-being; and 

18 (5) encourages secondary schools to continue to 

19 take all available and reasonable efforts to ensure 

20 student athlete safety. 

Æ 


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