The North Iowa Bulls take player safety very seriously and have implemented the SCAT 2 concussion testing through Accelerated Rehabilitation Centers of Mason City and Clear Lake, Iowa. "With the awareness of concussions in our sport we feel it is definitely in our teams interest at the player safety level to have the baseline testing that gives a reference point when dealing with head injuries incurred by our players. It's a very short, simple cognitive test that allows the training staff at Accelerated Rehab to put an initial test score on our players." This is a necessary and proactive measure, all Bulls players are required to partake in the baseline testing. Accelerated Rehab logs and keeps on file each players baseline results and in the event of a head injury offers the care that is necessary to help get our players back on the ice as soon as possible.
Michelle Bamrick, North Iowa Sports Medecine Manager and Facility Manager of the Accelerated Rehabilitation Center in Clear Lake, Iowa offered this explanation of the process. "The Sport Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT2) is a standardized screening method of evaluating athletes for concussion. It is important to establish an athletes individual baseline in order to manage a subsequent concussion and the timing for safe return to play. This test is only a small part of a full evaluation for the concussion management protocol, and is helpful in having objective measurements to monitor the athlete's daily activity, until cleared to play."
While the eventual goal of all our players is to play college hockey it is clearly in our interest to take precautions for them if a head injury occurs. With the documentation of repeated concussions causing cognitive damage we feel it is important to have this testing and a treatment plan in place and appreciate the partnership that Accelerated Rehab has entered into with the North Iowa Bulls.