A concussion is a brain injury that can be caused by a blow or jolt to the head and can change the way the brain normally works. Any concussion is serious whether mild or severe. They can also be caused by a blow to the body that causes the head to move rapidly back and forth and causes the brain to strike the surrounding skull. Concussions most often do NOT result in loss of consciousness - only 10% involve loss of consciousness. In the past concussion laws have only applicable to school-sponsored athletics or to activities taking place on school-owned property. Some laws are applicable to all youth sports organizations, whether affiliated or not with a school district. The Department of Parks and Recreation strongly encourages all coaches and players to comply with any applicable laws and to review the information and training materials on concussions which are available free of charge on the Centers For Disease Control website at: http://www.cdc.gov/headsup/youthsports/training/index.html