November 12, 2015

Dear CJSA Members:

Earlier this week, soccer's national governing body, the United States Soccer Federation, announced (see membership notice below) that a resolution has been reached in a 2014 lawsuit filed against U.S. Soccer, Unites States Youth Soccer Association and a number of other American soccer organizations by a group of citizens concerned by concussions in youth soccer.
U. S. Soccer indicates it will announce in the near future, specific details, including a number of new initiatives and recommendations concerning the modification of substitution rules and limitations on heading the ball as well as a more comprehensive player safety campaign U. S. Soccer was working on before the litigation was initiated. We understand that the new recommendations include the elimination of heading the ball by players 10 years of age and limiting heading during any practice session for players between the age of 11 and 13.
CJSA will provide you these details as well as any corresponding timelines for implementation as soon as they are received from the Federation or U S Youth Soccer. Any new updates will also be posted on CJSA's website at www.cjsa.org.
Since the U. S. Soccer announcement, CJSA has received a number of media requests for comment. CJSA will not be making any comments on this issue until U. S. Soccer provides specific details on these new recommendations and associated timelines. CJSA is requesting that its members also refrain from making any comment and, as requested in the notice, forward any local media inquiries you may receive to Neil Buethe, U. S. Soccer's Director of Communications at: [email protected]/312-528-1270.
I would also like to take this opportunity to remind all CJSA member clubs that earlier this year the Connecticut General Assembly passed a new law regarding concussions in youth athletics. This new law requires that as of January 1, 2016, CJSA and each of its member clubs make available at the time of a player's registration, a written or electronic statement regarding concussions to each CJSA player and their parents or legal guardian. This new requirement was highlighted last August at CJSA's annual President's Meeting in Cromwell.
To assist member clubs with this obligation, CJSA has developed and made available on its website a notice which provides information compiled from the materials distributed by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Member clubs will be receiving additional information via a separate email.
(http://www.cjsa.org/resource_center/concussion_information)

Thank you.

Sincerely,

CJSA

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