All Articles by Donald C. Collins, J.D.

A longtime high school sports administrator argues that the Illinois high school concussion class action lawsuit raises many questions that shouldn't be decided by the first lawyer to get to the courthouse but only after careful consideration by state legislatures and high school sports administrators of all the issues arising from concussions and other aspects of athlete safety.

The veto by California governor Jerry Brown of AB 1890, a bill that would have made it illegal for anyone to call themselves an "athletic trainer" without actually being one has a top interscholastic sports administrator in the Golden State asking why.

The 7-day return-to-play waiting period and the limits on full-contact practices imposed by AB 2127, California's updated youth sports concussion safety law are steps in the right direction says an official who will be charged with its implementation, but, like any legislation, is not perfect.

In the wake of the tragic death of Ricardo Portillo in Utah, a longtime high school sports administrator suggests at least six ways to make sports safer for game officials.

US Soccer's new rule banning players on its Development Academy teams from playing high school soccer is designed to strengthen our national teams, but, says one veteran interscholastic sports administrator, the move raises questions about the integrity of the sport's national governing body.

California Assemblywoman Mary Hayashi is known best for her sponsorship of the state's youth sports concussion safety laws, but her voice in the legislature may be silenced by a shoplifting scandal.

The new Heat Alert mouth guard changes colors if an athlete’s core temperature goes over 102 degrees F, in effect a heat stroke early warning system. Whether it will be a game changer like Fox 40's pea-less whistle remains to be seen. 

While it is clear that officials and coaches could resolve religious head-wear media dustups by taking care of the issue early in a sports season, it is equally true that the sports governing bodies could take that burden off of them.  There are certain items that are worn with sufficient frequency to merit a permanent exemption.  Hijabs and yarmulkes both fall in that category. 

Trash talking via social media has been a factor in a number of fights at youth sports contests around the country, but, there hasn't been a flash mob incident, at least so far.  But the year isn't even half over.

The reach of Title IX into high school programs and benefits, both athletic and educational, was highlighted in two recent cases, one from California involving the size of girls' gym lockers and support by the school band and cheerleaders at athletic contests, the other involving a field trip by 5,000 boys to see a movie about the Tuskegee Airmen.