MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WMOT) -- Student athletes across Tennessee are gearing up for spring training as a new law aimed at reducing youth sports concussions goes into effect.
The Tennessee Sports Concussion Law went into force the first of the year. Paula Denslow with Project Brainsays it has several key components.
"That will require not only coaching staff, but educators, families - and, importantly, the student athletes themselves to learn about brain injury, to understand and to recognize some of the signs and symptoms of that injury."
Denslow says the law requires youth athletes with concussion symptoms be removed from a game or practice, and not returned until cleared by a licensed health-care professional.
About 20,000 Tennesseans - 21 years and under - are seen in emergency rooms each year for issues related to brain injuries.