Heartland Soccer Club: NYSA
Sudden Cardiace Arrest Policy and Education Resources

In compliance with Tennessee legislation, Public Chapter 325 (click here for full text of the law in PDF format), which was passed by the State of Tennessee Legislature on April 14, 2015, signed into law on April 28, 2015, and became effective on January 1, 2016, Heartland Soccer Club: NYSA has adopted guidelines and forms as developed by the Tennessee Department of Health to inform and educate coaches, young athletes, and their parents or guardians of the nature, risk and symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest.

Every individual involved in youth athletics must become more proactive in identifying and treating athletes who show symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest. In order to address this critical issue, it is therefore Heartland Soccer Club: NYSA’s policy that:

Any player who exhibits signs, symptoms or conditions consistent with a sudden cardiac arrest such as fainting or seizures during exercise, unexplained shortness of breath, chest pains, dizziness, racing heart rate, or extreme fatigue, shall be immediately removed from play and shall not return to the practice or competition during which the youth athlete experienced symptoms consistent with sudden cardiac arrest and shall not return to practice or game play until cleared by an appropriate health care provider.

As part of the law, all league administrators, officials, coaches, and assistant coaches must participate in a sudden cardiac arrest education program prior to the start of each season. In addition, each season parents of every player must review sudden cardiac arrest education materials and policy and then sign a document stating that they have done so. It should be noted that this all must occur before a team conducts its first practice.

Important documents for Heartland Soccer Club: NYSA players, parents, and coaches:

Full text of Heartland Soccer Club: NYSA Sudden Cardiac Arrest Policy (PDF format)

Sudden Cardiac Arrest Education and Information Signature Form for Coaches and Athletic Directors (PDF format) - every coach must sign

Sudden Cardiac Arrest Education and Information Form for Athletes and Parents/Legal Guardians (PDF format) - every parent must sign

Tennessee Sudden Cardiac Arrest Return to Play Form (PDF format) - must be signed by a doctor if a player is removed for exhibiting symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest

Free online training course:

National Federation of State High School Associations training: "Elective Course - Sudden Cardiac Arrest"

Other resources:

Simon’s Fund http://www.simonsfund.org

Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation http://www.sca-aware.org/

American Heart Association (Athlete Preparticipation Screening Guidelines) http://my.americanheart.org/professional/StatementsGuidelines/ByTopic/TopicsA-C/Athletes_UCM_320679_Article.jsp