The following information was obtained by FLN as provided from the largest Girl’s Lacrosse organization in the state of Florida, MCCSports.  The data was gathered this past spring and summer season and ranges from the Middle School Club Level up to and including the collegiate level, all within the state of Florida.  The Certified Athletic Trainers mentioned later in this article include the former Team Lacrosse Trainer at Loyola University in Maryland, a Top 10 NCAA Men’s program and the Team Lacrosse Trainer at Jacksonville University. These statistics are frankly damning to the position of the FHSAA. In my last article I pointed out how the reported concussions among Orange County schools where heavily influenced by only THREE schools, including Russell Wambles’ own Dr. Phillips athletic program. The Orange County statistics seem at this time to be the ONLY statistical data considered by the Board of Directors. Well, here is a much larger statistical database; will the FHSAA FINALLY listen? Or go back to their ostrich head position?   The results of the study show the following: NCAA 2013-14: At the NCAA level at Jacksonville University, our women sustained two concussions in between the months of September-May (we play two seasons of college lacrosse per year). We have 36 participants on the team and we play 160 days per year. Of the 5,760 total opportunities for play, just two concussions were suffered. Both concussions came as a result of head to ground contact, not stick/ball to head contact. Our trainer cited the condition of the field/playing surface as a major reason why the injuries occurred. Both players were cleared and resumed play without complication. High School/Middle School 2014: During the summer’s three major LaxLife Events (girls lacrosse tournaments), one concussion was suffered as a result of a dangerous check. The athlete was diagnosed and returned to play a few weeks later. The athlete was originally tested and cleared by a hospital, but further monitoring and a different athletic trainer found concussion-like symptoms and the player was held out as a precaution. (Author’s Note – the fact that the event Trainer took more precaution when the HOSPITAL DOCTOR cleared the young girl to return to play is a major credit to those involved and to the credibility of their opinion) The most common injury was ankle sprain, or a bruise. Common bruise areas were the fingers and arms. No reported serious injuries were reported this summer (requiring surgery). At the two events, 180 teams participated in and average of 5.5 games each. The average roster size was 16. In 15,840 opportunities to complete at the middle and high school level this summer at girl’s lacrosse tournaments, just one concussion was diagnosed. The provider of the data also noted that in other lacrosse events (four camps/clinics, with approximately 700 participants in total), a total of 33 hours of play was observed. No concussions were reported or treated at any of the camps/clinics. 23,000 hours of participation in these events failed to yield one concussion. The provider of the data made the following statement: We take safety seriously in everything that we do. Safety begins with coaches training and player training and the use of certified US Lacrosse officials and US lacrosse rules of play. We follow strict adherence to all of these at our tournaments, camps, clinics and any event involving play of the sport. We offer trainers who are affiliated with the sport and know what to look for in sports injuries. We also utilize an EMT at some events. We always keep safety first. CONCLUSION OF THE 2013-14 STATISTICAL COMPILATION Overall in 44,700 total participation opportunities at the college, middle school and high school level of games, practices and camps/clinics, just three concussions have resulted. Only a few of the athletes participating wore either a soft helmet, headband or other such device. Many of the participants attend schools in central Florida. Based on our data, it is clear that women’s and girl’s lacrosse is one of the safest sports that can be played. I would investigate the high rates of concussion in a couple of your schools and make sure that your directors of athletics, coaches, and athletes are following the best practices for play, coaching and training for the sport. It is also worth looking at the condition of the playing fields in Orange County as many sports tend to share one field and large wear spots can create unsafe playing conditions for girl’s lacrosse. SPORT LONGEVITY Girl’s lacrosse has been played for decades and there are thousands of older adult women who participated in lacrosse. There is no body of evidence that these women sustained brain injuries at a rate higher than those women who did not participate. Unlike sports like football, ice hockey, boxing and barrel racing which have well documented cases of early onset dementia, CTE, ALS, and parkinson’s disease. No matter how thick the helmets are in those sports, major brain and spine injuries are more common and have a greater effect on the lives of participants. The potential for serious injury is possible in any sport. Certainly baseball and football have seen catastrophic injuries and even deaths this year and basketball has had several unfortunate sudden cardiac deaths occur as well. MEN’S LACROSSE (This section was written by the person who provided us with the Data) Finally I (‘the provider of this data’) would like to state that I am also a participant in the Florida Lacrosse League’s men’s masters division and I am aware of the risks of playing men’s lacrosse. We work hard to protect each other, but the rate of concussion nationwide is higher on the men’s side than the women’s. US Lacrosse has done an exceptional job of keeping the rate of concussion down in boy’s lacrosse. The rate is much lower than football and ice hockey. As a former professional, collegiate and high school football player, I did sustain two concussions back when concussions were not as prioritized as they are today. While many of my friends are suffering from their high school, college and professional brain injuries as a result of football, I am in good health as of today. Thank goodness girl’s lacrosse is such a safe sport!   FLN will continue to follow this story and provide the facts as we research them further. Please remember that this writer is willing to be open-minded about the wearing of some sort of protective headgear if the conclusions of the concussion research leads US Lacrosse to recommend that type of solution. But this author also believes very strongly that the FHSAA’s decision-making process was severely flawed and needs to be revisited before such a significant decision needs to be made.