Reps. Marc Veasey (TX-33) and Tom Emmer (MN-06) Introduce Legislation to Bring Awareness to Youth Sports Injury Reporting and Prevention

WASHINGTON - Representatives Marc Veasey (TX-33) and Tom Emmer (MN-06) recently introduced the High School Sports Injury Reporting Act. The bipartisan piece of legislation will direct the Director of the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention to submit a report to Congress on the feasibility of reporting data relating to injuries in high school sports to improve the safety of student athletes.

Nearly eight million high school students in the United States play competitive sports. Along with the numerous health benefits comes the potential risk of injury. Injury prevention in this population is often overlooked as many sports-related injuries are thought to be part of the game; however, in reality, these injuries are largely preventable.

“While participating in their preferred sport, many young athletes sustain injuries that can impact them for a lifetime,” said Rep. Marc Veasey. “Studies have shown sport-related injury monitoring systems can provide scientific data to drive injury-prevention initiatives that can potentially limit the physical risks students take when competing in sports. That is why I am proud to introduce legislation that will bring awareness to injury-prevention reporting methods for high school athletes.” 

“As a father and coach, I have seen firsthand the transformative power of athletics. Student athletes build confidence, learn teamwork, and build a healthy lifestyle. However, sports injuries at every level of play can jeopardize long-term health. I am proud to join this effort to support student safety,” said Rep. Tom Emmer  

The bipartisan legislation is endorsed by Rank One. 

“Countless studies have shown the benefits of youth participation in sports, but injuries are often an unfortunate consequence. There is a need for sports injury prevention, and those efforts should be informed by data and scientific research. We applaud Reps. Marc Veasey and Tom Emmer for introducing the High School Sports Injury Reporting Act to require the Center of Disease Control to conduct a feasibility study to evaluate how quality data reporting sports injuries improves student athlete safety. It is imperative that we take substantive steps to ensure that youth athletes are competing in the safest manner possible, and we encourage Congress to play an active role in this effort,” said Jason McKay, Chairman & CEO, Rank One.