At its meeting in December, the CIAC Board of Control approved a change in its regulation concerning pre-participation assessments. The amended rule allows a pre-participation physical to be valid for a thirteen-month period, whereas it was previously valid for only twelve months.

The change was brought forth in response to complaints from schools, parents, athletic directors, athletes, doctors and school nurses that insurance would only pay for a physical examination once every twelve (12) months. The Sports Medicine Committee discussed the proposed change and determined that a thirteen-month window was acceptable. At its recent meeting, the CIAC board accepted the recommendation of the Sports Medicine Committee and adopted the following language:

Every athlete who participates in any CIAC-sanctioned activity (practice and/or contest) must be determined physically fit through a pre-participation assessment performed in accordance with reasonable and prudent written protocol as determined by his/her board of education or governing body. A pre-participation assessment will be considered current if it has been performed during the past thirteen (13) months. At no time shall an athlete be allowed to practice or compete if the pre-participation assessment exceeds thirteen (13) months.

Previously, the regulation read as follows:

Every athlete who participates in any CIAC-sanctioned activity (practice and/or contest) must be determined physically fit through a pre-participating evaluation performed annually in accordance with reasonable and prudent written medical protocol as determined by his/her board of education or governing body.

The new rule will be in place for the remainder of the school year and will be brought to the membership for approval at the annual meeting in May.