National Collegiate Athletic Association Sports Research Articles

Job Characteristics of National Collegiate Athletic Association Strength and Conditioning Coaches: A Systematic Review

This systematic review investigated the job characteristics of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) strength and conditioning coaches (SCCs). Three databases were searched (Web of Science, EBSCO, and PubMed) until 12th January 2023. Eligible studies had to meet four criteria: (a) written in English, (b) published in a peer–reviewed journal, as a report on an official website, or a master/doctoral dissertation, (c) reported the demographic and job information of NCAA SCCs, and (d) complete data for at least one common question across two studies were available. Fifteen studies (n = 2,455 SCCs) were included. All studies adopted similar survey designs and questions, providing a basis for comparison. The results of this systematic review reveal that from 1989–2022, the age, race, and gender characteristics of SCCs were similar, lacking diversity, but academic degrees, majors, certifications, job titles, and salaries differed. This study provides valuable information for those looking to work in the NCAA as SCCs or those with existing roles to develop into more senior positions. Furthermore, This study will support employers in creating more informed job descriptors and employment strategies. Finally, based on our findings we propose a consolidated survey based on prior research to enable continuous and longitudinal investigations of SCCs working in NCAA sports.

How the NCAA Is Solving Alcohol Abuse on College Campuses Through Marketing Strategies

The National Collegiate Athletic Association is an American college sports league that is popular in the United States and even around the world. It includes many different kinds of sports, and almost all have a high level. Basketball is one of the representative sports in the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There is an annual sports championship that is the most popular in America and is held in March of each year. National Collegiate Athletic Association sports events have a very high degree of attention and a very strong mass base. Not only the basketball is a popular sport in National Collegiate Athletic Association, track and field are also popular. In addition to basketball and track and field, the National Collegiate Athletic Association also includes other sports such as football, baseball and others and they are all concerned and loved by people. Alcohol abuse among college students is a serious public health problem that plagues many American college students. This situation also leads to serious illnesses associated with alcohol for adolescents. More than just disease, the act of drinking alcohol is likely to lead to future alcohol dependence in adolescents. Student athletes have an even more serious alcohol abuse problem. This article mainly studies the National Collegiate Athletic Association's use of different marketing methods to solve the long-standing problem of alcohol abuse by college athletes. Furthermore, through marketing to eliminate the negative impact and make college students pay more attention to the problem of alcohol abuse, so that they can get better athletic performance, academic performance and physical health, and also enable them to effectively avoid criminal problems that may be caused by drinking.

Clustering Of Sport-Related Concussion Rates By Season Segment In National Collegiate Athletic Association Sports: Findings From The NCAA Injury Surveillance Program Between 2013/14-2018/19

Clustering Of Sport-Related Concussion Rates By Season Segment In National Collegiate Athletic Association Sports: Findings From The NCAA Injury Surveillance Program Between 2013/14-2018/19

Epidemiology of Lateral Ligament Complex Tears of the Ankle in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Sports: 2014-15 Through 2018-19

Background: Epidemiological studies of lateral ankle sprains in NCAA sports are important in appraising the burden of this injury and informing prevention efforts. Purpose: To describe the epidemiology of lateral ankle sprains in NCAA sports during the 2014-15 through 2018-19 seasons. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: Injury and exposure information collected within the NCAA Injury Surveillance Program (ISP) were examined. Counts, rates, and proportions of lateral ankle sprains were used to describe injury incidence by sport, event type (practices, competitions), season segment (preseason, regular season, postseason), injury mechanism (player contact, noncontact, and surface contact, injury history (new, recurrent), and time loss (time loss [≥1 day], non–time loss). Injury rate ratios (IRRs) were used to examine differential injury rates, and injury proportion ratios (IPRs) were used to examine differential distributions. Results: A total of 3910 lateral ankle sprains were reported (4.61 per 10,000 athlete exposures) during the study period, and the overall rate was highest in men’s basketball (11.82 per 10,000 athlete exposures). The competition-related injury rate was higher than the practice-related rate (IRR, 3.24; 95% CI, 3.04-3.45), and across season segments, the overall rate was highest in preseason (4.99 per 10,000 athlete exposures). Lateral ankle sprains were most often attributed to player-contact mechanisms in men’s (43.2%) and women’s sports (35.1%), although injuries were more prevalently attributed to player contact in men’s than in women’s sports (IPR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.13-1.34). Overall, 49.7% of all lateral ankle sprains were time loss injuries. Conclusions: The findings of this study are consistent with previous epidemiological investigations of lateral ankle sprains among NCAA athletes. Results offer additional context on differential injury mechanisms between men’s and women’s sports and on injury risk across the competitive season. Future research may examine the effectiveness of deploying injury prevention programs before the start of a season.

The Epidemiology Of Fractures In Ncaa Women’S Sports: 2009/10-2018/19

PURPOSE: Sport-related fracture is a concern among National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) athletes, and previous research has shown higher rates of certain fractures in NCAA women’s sports than men’s sports. Yet, few studies have examined the relative burden of fractures across women’s sports. We described the epidemiology of sport-related fractures across women’s NCAA sports. METHODS: Sport-related fractures reported to the NCAA Injury Surveillance Program by athletic trainers during 2009/10-2018/19 in 12 women’s sports were analyzed. Injury incidence (rates per 10,000 athlete exposures (AEs)) was examined overall and by event type (practices/competitions). Specific fracture diagnoses and the distribution of fractures by injury mechanism (player-, non-contact, other) and injury history (new/recurrent) were examined using frequencies (%s). Time loss (TL; ≥1 day) following fractures was characterized using means (±SD). Differential injury incidence was examined across event types using Injury Rate Ratios (IRR); IRRs with 95% Confidence Intervals (CI) excluding 1.00 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: A total of 944 sport-related fractures were reported during the study period (Rate = 2.0/10,000AEs), and fracture rates were highest in gymnastics (5.7/10,000AEs), and cross country (3.7/10,000AEs). The competition injury rate was higher than the practice rate (IRR = 2.1; 95%CI = 1.9, 2.4). The foot (24.1%) and hand/wrist (23.9%) accounted for the largest proportions of fractured body parts; phalangeal fractures (10.3%), nasal fractures (9.4%), and tibial stress fractures (9.2%) were the most common fractures. Fractures were most prevalently attributed to overuse (28.6%) and apparatus contact (22.3%) mechanisms; most player contact fractures were reported in soccer (38.5%) and basketball (35.8%). TL fractures accounted for 42.3% of all reported fractures (TL was not reported in ~36% of fractures) and average TL following fractures was ~36.7 days (SD = 39.4). CONCLUSIONS: Fracture incidence in women’s gymnastics warrants particular attention. The prevalence of nasal fractures is also noteworthy. Given the interest in female athlete bone health, the dynamics of overuse/gradual onset fractures in women’s sports also may be targets for focused research.

Epidemiology of Concussions in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Sports: 2014/15-2018/19

Background: Updated epidemiology studies examining sports-related concussions (SRCs) are critical in evaluating recent efforts aimed at reducing the incidence of SRCs in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) sports. Purpose: To describe the epidemiology of SRCs in 23 NCAA sports during the 2014/15-2018/19 academic years. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: SRC and exposure data collected in the NCAA Injury Surveillance Program were analyzed. Injury counts, rates, and proportions were used to describe injury characteristics by sport, event type (practices, competitions), injury mechanism (player contact, surface contact, equipment/apparatus contact), and injury history (new, recurrent). Injury rate ratios (IRRs) were used to examine differential injury rates, and injury proportion ratios (IPRs) were used to examine differential distributions. Results: A total of 3497 SRCs from 8,474,400 athlete-exposures (AEs) were reported during the study period (4.13 per 10,000 AEs); the competition-related SRC rate was higher than was the practice-related SRC rate (IRR, 4.12; 95% CI, 3.86-4.41). The highest SRC rates were observed in men’s ice hockey (7.35 per 10,000 AEs) and women’s soccer (7.15 per 10,000 AEs); rates in women’s soccer and volleyball increased during 2015/16-2018/19. Player contact was the most prevalently reported mechanism in men’s sports (77.0%), whereas equipment/apparatus contact was the most prevalently reported mechanism in women’s sports (39.2%). Sex-related differences were observed in soccer, basketball, softball/baseball, and swimming and diving. Most SRCs reported in men’s sports (84.3%) and women’s sports (81.1%) were reported as new injuries. Conclusion: Given the increasing SRC rates observed in women’s soccer and volleyball during the latter years of the study, these results indicate the need to direct further attention toward trajectories of SRC incidence in these sports. The prevalence of equipment/apparatus contact SRCs in women’s sports also suggests that SRC mechanisms in women’s sports warrant further investigation. As most SRCs during the study period were reported as new injuries, the prevalence of recurrent SRCs in men’s and women’s ice hockey is also noteworthy.

Epidemiology of Hand and Wrist Injuries in Collegiate-Level Athletes in the United States

Hand and wrist injuries are common among competitive athletes and can have a substantial impact on playing time and future participation. The purpose of this study was to provide epidemiological data from the National Collegiate Athletic Association Injury Surveillance Program to correlate injury diagnosis with the need for surgery and time loss. Using the National Collegiate Athletic Association Injury Surveillance Program, this retrospective study extracted data of hand and wrist injuries for all 25 National Collegiate Athletic Association sports from the academic years 2004-2005 to 2013-2014. The "severe" category was defined as injuries resulting in the following: (1) surgery, (2) season-ending status, or (3) more than 30 days of playing time loss. The epidemiologic data included injury rate per 100,000 athlete exposures (defined as 1 athlete participating in 1 practice or competition) based on diagnoses and demographic information such as sports and sex. We used a Poisson regression model to estimate the incidence rate and 95% confidence interval. Overall, 4,851 hand injuries were identified, with an injury rate of 41.2 per 100,000 athlete exposures. The most common diagnoses were metacarpal or phalangeal fractures (19.9%), lacerations or contusions (15.4%), and wrist sprains (14.7%). The surgical rate was 9.6%, and the season-ending rate was 5.8%. Severe injuries occurred in 17.5% of the hand and wrist injuries; within this subset, the most common diagnoses included metacarpal or phalangeal fractures (43.8%), scaphoid fractures (12.8%), and thumb ulnar collateral ligament tears (8.7%). Scaphoid fractures and metacarpal or phalangeal fractures had the highest surgical rate and season-ending rate among all the injuries. The injury rate of hand and wrist injuries is comparable with those of other common sports injuries. Approximately one fifth of the injuries were considered severe, which led to a high surgical rate, and these had a considerable impact on the athletes' ability to finish the season. Type of study/level of evidence Outcome research level II.

Sports Injury Epidemiology: Foundation of Evidence of, by, and for Athletic Trainers.

Sports Injury Epidemiology: Foundation of Evidence of, by, and for Athletic Trainers.

Time from Start of Quarantine to SARS-CoV-2 Positive Test Among Quarantined College and University Athletes - 17 States, June-October 2020.

To safely resume sports, college and university athletic programs and regional athletic conferences created plans to mitigate transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Mitigation measures included physical distancing, universal masking, and maximizing outdoor activity during training; routine testing; 10-day isolation of persons with COVID-19; and 14-day quarantine of athletes identified as close contacts* of persons with confirmed COVID-19. Regional athletic conferences created testing and quarantine policies based on National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) guidance (1); testing policies varied by conference, school, and sport. To improve compliance with quarantine and reduce the personal and economic burden of quarantine adherence, the quarantine period has been reduced in several countries from 14 days to as few as 5 days with testing (2) or 10 days without testing (3). Data on quarantined athletes participating in NCAA sports were used to characterize COVID-19 exposures and assess the amount of time between quarantine start and first positive SARS-CoV-2 test result. Despite the potential risk for transmission from frequent, close contact associated with athletic activities (4), more athletes reported exposure to COVID-19 at social gatherings (40.7%) and from roommates (31.7%) than they did from exposures associated with athletic activities (12.7%). Among 1,830 quarantined athletes, 458 (25%) received positive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test results during the 14-day quarantine, with a mean of 3.8 days from quarantine start (range=0-14 days) until the positive test result. Among athletes who had not received a positive test result by quarantine day 5, the probability of having a positive test result decreased from 27% after day 5 to <5% after day 10. These findings support new guidance from CDC (5) in which different options are provided to shorten quarantine for persons such as collegiate athletes, especially if doing so will increase compliance, balancing the reduced duration of quarantine against a small but nonzero risk for postquarantine transmission. Improved adherence to mitigation measures (e.g., universal masking, physical distancing, and hand hygiene) at all times could further reduce exposures to SARS-CoV-2 and disruptions to athletic activities because of infections and quarantine (1,6).

Analysis of surgery rates among 25 national collegiate athletic association sports

ABSTRACT Objectives While injuries among collegiate athletes are common and well-studied, there have been no studies comparing which sports and injury types have the highest operation rates. This information would be valuable for athlete governing bodies and providers to improve player safety. Our hypothesis was the surgery incidence rates vary substantially between sports and injury types, with football and knee injuries representing the sport and injury type with the highest respective surgery rates. Methods This was a descriptive epidemiology study of all injuries requiring surgery as recorded in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Injury Surveillance Program (ISP) for academic years 2004–2005 to 2013–2014. Surgery incidence rates (and 95% confidence intervals, CI) were calculated for each sport (per 10,000 athletic exposures [AE]) and for the most common injury types, by academic year. In addition, absolute numbers of performed surgeries were calculated as well as rates of return to sport. Results Sports with the highest surgery incidence rate (per 10,000 AEs) were women’s gymnastics (8.9; 95% CI 7.2–10.9), men’s football (6.1; 95% CI 5.8–6.4), and men’s wrestling (5.3; 95% CI 4.5–6.3). Absolute numbers of injury-related surgeries performed were greatest for men’s football (n = 31,043), women’s basketball (6,625), and men’s basketball (5,717). Anterior cruciate ligament tears had the greatest surgery incidence rate per 100,000 AEs for all sports combined (7.95; 95% CI = 7.5 to 8.5), and also represented the injuries with the lowest rate of return to sport. Conclusion Women’s gymnastics, men’s football, and men’s and women’s basketball are NCAA sports with an elevated risk of injury requiring of surgery. The results from this study can guide the NCAA and providers regarding which sports should be the focus of future research, new injury prevention strategies, and healthcare personnel allocation during events.

Assistant coach hiring trends: an updated investigation of homologous reproduction in intercollegiate women’s sport

ABSTRACT This study sought to update and expand upon previous applications of homologous reproduction in sport through an investigation of assistant coach hiring trends for six National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) women’s sports. Similar to previous investigations, this study focused on environments in which women (as a proportion) are both the dominant gender doing the hiring of their subordinate employees (assistant coaches) as well as the minority. We examined the gender representation of assistant coach staff members as a function of head coach gender in six sports (women’s basketball, women’s lacrosse women’s soccer, women’s volleyball, softball, and swimming) across NCAA divisions of competition (I, II, and III). Findings revealed that women head coaches continue to engage in homologous reproduction at higher rates than men. Results suggest that in order to increase the proportions of women head coaches throughout NCAA sport, proportions of all-women and mostly-women assistant coaching staffs must also increase.

Sports Medicine Staffing Across National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I, II, and III Schools: Evidence for the Medical Model.

The ratio of clinicians to patients has been associated with health outcomes in many medical contexts but has not been explored in collegiate sports medicine. The relationship between administrative and financial oversight models and staffing is also unknown. To (1) evaluate staffing patterns in National Collegiate Athletic Association sports medicine programs and (2) investigate whether staffing was associated with the division of competition, Power 5 conference status, administrative reporting structure (medical or athletic department), or financial structure (medical or athletic department). Cross-sectional study. Collegiate sports medicine programs. Representatives of 325 universities. A telephone survey was conducted during June and July 2015. Participants were asked questions regarding the presence and full-time equivalence of the health care providers on their sports medicine staff. The number of athletes per athletic trainer was determined. Responding sports medicine programs had 0.5 to 20 full-time equivalent staff athletic trainers (median = 4). Staff athletic trainers at participating schools cared for 21 to 525 athletes per clinician (median = 100). Both administrative and financial oversight from a medical department versus the athletics department was associated with improved staffing across multiple metrics. Staffing levels were associated with the division of competition; athletic trainers at Division I schools cared for fewer athletes than athletic trainers at Division II or III schools, on average. The support of graduate assistant and certified intern athletic trainers varied across the sample as did the contributions of nonphysician, nonathletic trainer health care providers. In many health care settings, clinician : patient ratios are associated with patient health outcomes. We found systematic variations in clinician : patient ratios across National Collegiate Athletic Association divisions of competition and across medical versus athletics organizational models, raising the possibility that athletes' health outcomes vary across these contexts. Future researchers should evaluate the relationships between clinician : patient ratios and athletes' access to care, care provision, health care costs, health outcomes, and clinician job satisfaction.

Awareness of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury-Preventive Training Programs Among Female Collegiate Athletes.

Neuromuscular training programs can reduce the rate of noncontact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, particularly in female athletes. To assess the awareness of, experience with, and factors associated with participation in preventive training programs (PTPs) among female collegiate athletes and their knowledge of ACL injuries. Cross-sectional study. National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) sports programs. A total of 440 female NCAA athletes (age = 20 ± 1 years) representing 20 sports during the 2017-2018 academic year. We used a 12-item survey to collect data on each participant's age, sport, position, college, NCAA division, and awareness of and experience with PTPs. We performed descriptive statistics and used odds ratios (ORs) to assess relationships between demographic data and awareness of or interest in PTPs. Of the 440 respondents, 85% (n = 373) knew that female athletes were at higher risk for sustaining ACL injuries than male athletes, and 89% (n = 391) knew that ACL injuries were preventable. Thirty-three percent (n = 143) were familiar with the concept of ACL PTPs. Only 15% (n = 64) had ever performed PTPs, but 89% (n = 391) reported they would perform a daily PTP if it could prevent ACL injuries. Fifty-two of the 64 respondents (81%) who had performed PTPs said athletic trainers or coaches oversaw the PTPs. Participants were more likely to be familiar with ACL PTPs if they (OR = 3.5; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.0, 5.8) or a teammate (OR = 4.6; 95% CI = 2.1, 9.8) had sustained an ACL injury. Respondents were more willing to perform PTPs if they (OR = 2.3; 95% CI = 0.80, 6.6) or a teammate (OR = 3.4; 95% CI = 1.8, 6.6) had sustained an ACL injury. Although 89% of respondents expressed interest in performing daily ACL PTPs, only 15% had performed such programs, and only 33% were familiar with the concept of ACL PTPs.

Epidemiology of Foot Injuries Using National Collegiate Athletic Association Data From the 2009-2010 Through 2014-2015 Seasons.

Researchers analyzing data from the National Collegiate Athletic Association Injury Surveillance Program have not considered the differences in foot injuries across specific sports and between males and females. To describe the epidemiologic differences in rates of overall foot injuries and common injuries among sports and between sexes. Descriptive epidemiology study. Online injury-surveillance data from 15 unique sports involving males and females that demonstrated 1967 injuries over 4 821 985 athlete-exposures. Male and female athletes competing in National Collegiate Athletic Association sports from the 2009-2010 through 2014-2015 seasons. Foot injury rates (per 10 000 athlete-exposures) and the proportion of foot injuries were calculated for each sport. The effect of sex was calculated using Poisson-derived confidence intervals for 8 paired sports. A risk analysis was performed using a 3 × 3 quantitative injury risk-assessment matrix based on both injury rate and mean days of time loss. Foot injury rates differed between sports, with the highest rates in female gymnastics, male and female cross-country, and male and female soccer athletes. Cross-country and track and field had the highest proportions of foot injuries for both female and male sports. The 5 most common injuries were foot/toe contusions, midfoot injuries, plantar fascia injuries, turf toe, and metatarsal fractures. Only track and field athletes demonstrated a significant sex difference in injury rates, with female athletes having the higher rate. The quantitative injury risk-assessment matrix identified the 4 highest-risk injuries, considering both rate and severity, as metatarsal fractures, plantar fascia and midfoot injuries, and foot/toe contusions. Important differences were present among sports in terms of injury rates, the most common foot injuries, and the risk (combination of frequency and severity) of injury. These differences warrant further study to determine the mechanisms of injury and target intervention efforts.

Could recruiting former college athletes be the answer to less pharmacy student burnout?

IntroductionStudent pharmacists are in a notable wellness deficit. Pharmacy organizations are issuing statements and providing resources addressing efforts to increase student wellness. This commentary suggests that institutions refocus recruiting efforts on students with experience balancing the demands of school, wellness, and mental health. PerspectiveThe purpose of this commentary is to start the conversation on increasing efforts to recruit candidates who already possess the resilience needed to perform in pharmacy school, with a focus on former college athletes. This piece in no way suggests decreased attention on wellness programs or efforts to reduce burnout. Former student athletes, through their training, have increased experience in resilience and may be less at risk for burnout. These candidates will likely have an increased team mentality and acceptance of constructive criticism. Additionally, this is an untapped resource for candidates as only 2% of collegiate athletes pursuing professional athletic careers. Of the 140 accredited pharmacy schools, 82.9% have an undergraduate program that offers at least one National Collegiate Athletic Association sport. ImplicationsSchools of pharmacy should consider additional recruitment efforts and admissions criteria weight for former student athletes who meet the same standards as other candidates. As many pharmacy faculty direct significant effort toward the prevention of student burnout, perhaps an additional approach is to recruit students who are already capable of the expected demands. The athletic community may answer both the need for additional pharmacy recruits and provide a cohort with advanced abilities in stress management, wellness, and teamwork.

Epidemiology of Operative Foot injuries in College Level Athletes

Category:Hindfoot, Lesser Toes, Midfoot/Forefoot, Sports, TraumaIntroduction/Purpose:Foot injuries represent a broad category of injuries that may have profound implications in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) athletes. Accordingly, a more thorough characterization of these injuries and what predisposes NCAA athletes to them is crucial to their prevention. This study examines the incidence and effect of foot injuries on NCAA athletes and their athletic season.Methods:Foot injuries across 16 sports among men and women during the 2004-05 to 2013-14 academic years were analyzed from the NCAA Injury Surveillance Program (NCAA-ISP). Three common orthopaedic foot injuries were sub-analyzed, including fifth metatarsal injuries (5MT), Lisfranc injuries, and turf toes. Multiple variables were reported including injury rates per 100,000 athlete-exposures (IR), operative rate, annual injury rate trends, re-injury rates, in-season status (pre/in/post-season) at time of injury, and time loss distributions were compiled and calculated.Results:A total of 3718 foot injuries were identified over 10-year period. 4.4% of all injuries were operative. Overall foot injury rate was comparable between male (IR=31.1) and female athletes (IR=32.4); however, the operative injury rate was greater in male compared to female (IR=2.0 vs. 0.6) athletes. The top three operative injuries were 5MT (45.1%), stress fractures (12.2%), and Lisfranc injuries (7.9%). 10.8% of turf toes are re-injury, and average time loss was 7.0 days. 43% of 5MT injuries were operative, and 19.2% were re-injuries. 40.6% of 5MT injuries were season-ending with an average time loss of 36.5 days. 33% of Lisfranc injuries were operative, and 7.5% were re-injuries. 45.9% of Lisfranc injuries were season-ending with an average time loss of 25.9 days.Conclusion:Foot injuries are among the most common form of injuries that occur in NCAA athletics. In addition, these injuries can sometimes lead to significant loss of playing time and may even result in the end of the athlete’s season or career. Certain NCAA sports such as men’s football and basketball may more likely predispose patients to season ending injuries and require operative fixation. Close examination of the kinds of foot injuries and their respective mechanisms may help elucidate trends useful in the development of various prevention strategies.

Gridiron University: Should Football Be Reinstated?

While exciting and energizing, adding sport programs is a major undertaking for any college athletic department. A broad overview of considerations associated with National Collegiate Athletic Association sport offerings is outlined in this case using reinstatement of football as the context. The case is intended to introduce students to the costs, benefits, risks, and complexity of institutional decisions in one area of collegiate athletics. Students are assigned a role and challenged to complete an operating budget, determine the financial viability of football, consider a variety of nonfinancial factors, and make a decision about whether Gridiron University should reinstate football. Although football is the sport in this scenario, the principles identified in the case apply to other sports and vary by degree not type.

Epidemiology of Exertional Heat Illnesses in National Collegiate Athletic Association Athletes During the 2009-2010 Through 2014-2015 Academic Years.

Exertional heat illnesses (EHIs) among football athletes have been widely researched, but data examining all collegiate sports are limited. To describe the epidemiology of EHI in 25 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) sports. Descriptive epidemiology study. The NCAA Injury Surveillance Program during the 2009-2010 through 2014-2015 academic years. A voluntary sample of 166 NCAA institutions over 2048 team-seasons. Athletic trainers reported EHIs to the NCAA Injury Surveillance Program. Only EHIs sustained during a sanctioned practice or competition were included. The EHI rate, specific diagnoses, and number of emergency transports were measured. Overall, 232 EHI events were reported (0.47/10 000 athlete-exposures [AEs]; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.41, 0.53). Football comprised 75% of all EHI events and had the largest rate (1.55/10 000 AEs; 95% CI = 1.32, 1.78). The overall EHI rate was higher in preseason practices (1.16/10 000 AEs) than all other time periods (regular and postseason practices and all competitions; 0.23/10 000 AEs, injury rate ratio [IRR] = 4.96; 95% CI = 3.79, 6.50). This result was retained when examining the individual sports of football (3.65/10 000 versus 0.63/10 000 AEs, IRR = 5.82; 95% CI = 4.18, 8.10), men's soccer (1.11/10 000 versus 0.07/10 000 AEs, IRR = 16.819; 95% CI = 1.89, 138.55), and women's soccer (1.10/10 000 versus 0.05/10 000 AEs, IRR = 22.52; 95% CI = 2.77, 183.05). The EHI rates were highest in states with elevated annual temperatures (1.05/10 000 AEs). Heat cramps (39%), heat exhaustion (27%), and dehydration (29%) were the most common types of EHI. Nineteen athletes with EHI (8%) required emergency transport. Football players continue to experience the most EHIs; however, EHIs can potentially occur in all NCAA sports. Continued emphasis on preseason EHI policies and institution-specific environmental guidelines is needed to address EHI rates.

The First Decade of Web-Based Sports Injury Surveillance (2004-2005 Through 2013-2014): Methods of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Injury Surveillance Program and High School Reporting Information Online.

To describe the methods of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Injury Surveillance Program (ISP) and High School Reporting Information Online (HS RIO) system as a complement to the sport-specific manuscripts that will follow. The NCAA-ISP and HS RIO collect injury and exposure data from samples of collegiate and high school sports programs, respectively. The NCAA-ISP, which the NCAA has maintained since 1982, was relaunched as a Web-based platform at the beginning of the 2004-2005 academic year. In 2005, the HS RIO was introduced to capture data on high school athletes and modeled after the NCAA-ISP. Relevant data are shared with the NCAA and high school sport and policy committees to develop evidence-based rules and programs that help protect the health and safety of student-athletes. The NCAA-ISP and HS RIO monitor participation in school-sanctioned competitions and practices that occur from the first preseason practice to the final postseason contest for more than 25 sports. For this series of publications in the Journal of Athletic Training, injury information on 13 sports at the collegiate level during the 2004-2005 through 2013-2014 academic years and the high school level during the 2005-2006 through 2013-2014 academic years was evaluated. Athletic trainers have been a vital source of data collection over the past decade to help produce the largest datasets of collegiate and high school sports injuries. Such data have helped various sport and policy committees advance protocols that aim to increase sports safety. This series of publications will aid by continuing to provide data to stakeholders in the sports community.

Epidemiology of Recurrent Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries in National Collegiate Athletic Association Sports: The Injury Surveillance Program, 2004-2014.

Background:An anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture is a serious injury that can be career-ending in collegiate athletics. A rerupture after primary ACL reconstruction occurs in 1% to 11% of all athletes.Purpose:To describe the epidemiology of recurrent ACL ruptures in the 25 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) sports in the NCAA Injury Surveillance Program (ISP) and to identify and compare sport-specific risk factors for a recurrent ACL rupture.Study Design:Descriptive epidemiology study.Methods:Athletes who experienced a primary or recurrent ACL rupture between 2004 and 2014 were identified using data from the NCAA ISP. ACL ruptures occurred in 12 of 25 sports during the study period. We assessed the rates and patterns of primary and recurrent ACL ruptures and reported them as events per 10,000 athlete-exposures (AEs). Sex-comparable sports were compared using rate ratios. Rupture rates were compared using odds ratios, with P values <.05 indicating significance. Regular-season and postseason data were combined because of low counts of postseason events.Results:Of 350,416 AEs, there were 1105 ACL ruptures, 126 of which were recurrent. The highest rates of recurrent ACL ruptures (per 10,000 AEs) were among male football players (15), female gymnasts (8.2), and female soccer players (5.2). Of sports played by athletes of both sexes, women’s soccer had a significantly higher rate of recurrent ACL ruptures than men’s soccer (rate ratio, 3.8 [95% CI, 1.3-15]). Among all sports, men had a significantly higher rate of recurrent ACL ruptures (4.3) than women (3.0) (P = .04). Overall, the ratio of recurrent to primary ACL ruptures decreased over the 10-year study period. Both women and men had a decreasing trend of recurrent to primary ACL ruptures, although women had a steeper decrease.Conclusion:These data can help identify athletes who are most at risk of recurrent ACL ruptures after ACL reconstruction and who may benefit from injury prevention programs.