The South Carolina High School League has addressed an item that applies to its member schools.
The League's Executive Committee has mandated that all coaches (paid and volunteer) take the National Federation of High Schools concussion course prior to the first practice for their sport(s).
The mandate reads: In accordance with the playing rules for all high school sports regarding the return to play of athletes who have shown signs or symptoms of a concussion, ("they shall not return to play until cleared by an appropriate health-care professional") the Executive Committee has ruled that each school district or school shall determine who the "appropriate health-care professional" shall be for each contest.
The only exception provides that fall sports coaches have until Aug. 20, 2010, to complete the course.
The principal and athletics director of each member school will monitor the completion of the course by their coaching staff. They should ensure that their coaches know who the appropriate health-care professional is prior to each contest.
The class is a free, 20 minutes online course that gives information on concussion signs, symptoms and management.
NATIONALLY RANKED: Fort Mill High's Cameron Kilpatrick earned a 4.5 star national ranking at the Kohl's Kicking/Punting/Snapping Camp held at the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater.
He was 22nd in his grouping of snappers out of a possible 5 stars.
Kilpatrick is a 6-foot-4, 225 pound senior and will be the Yellow Jackets starting center this season.
The report on Kilpatrick read: "Good frame that can benefit from strength gains. Smooth snap mechanics with good short snap accuracy. Through continued snap repetition has the ability to be very good. Snap speed is good."
NATIONAL POLL: The preseason National Prep Football Poll compiled by high school sports journalist Jamie DeMoney, with input from sportswriters, expert and coaches, has been released and includes local teams.
Northwestern starts the season at No. 80 and is ranked No. 9 in the East Coast Region Top 25 poll.
South Pointe did not crack to top 100 in the overall poll but is No. 20 in the East Coast Region.
The No. 1 overall team is Trinity (Euless, Texas), which is seeking its fourth Class AAAAA state title in six seasons.
Other South Carolina teams in the top 100 poll are defending Class AAAA Division I state champion Dorman at No. 20, and Byrnes, the Class AAAA Division I state runner-up, at 61.
Hoover (Ala.) winner of six state championships since 2000, is No. 10 and will play Byrnes on Aug. 28 at Rock Hill's District Three Stadium at noon on ESPN.
Later that day, Northwestern hosts South Pointe at 4 p.m. on ESPNU as the second half of the nationally televised doubleheader.
TICKETS: Tickets for the doubleheader on Aug. 28 in Rock Hill are $10 each. As soon as they arrive, tickets will go on sale at Northwestern and South Pointe.
Northwestern AD Bill Warren said the tickets have been printed but have not yet been delivered.
"I thought they would be here by now,'' he said.
"We're hoping they are here by the end of the week. As soon as they arrive, we will notify (The Herald) so they can post it on its Web site that they are on sale.''
