PIAA COMPREHENSIVE INITIAL PRE- PARTICIPATION PHYSICAL EVALUATION

Beginning with the 2007-08 school year, schools in Pennsylvania have the option of having student- athletes evaluated through a comprehensive physical examination using a form provided by the PIAA or to continue to rely on a minimal pre-participation examination. The comprehensive evaluation provides the student-athlete with a more in-depth look at his/her preparedness for sports participation. With increasing news of athletes dying and becoming ill during athletic events, it is in the best interest of the student-athlete that we do everything possible to identify those athletes at risk and take necessary steps to assure the safest participation. The forms also provide parents the ability to sign off on more than one sport for the upcoming school year. For each additional sport played, the parent will fill out one section with any updated information.

Section one contains personal and emergency information such as name, address, emergency contact information, personal physician name, allergy and immunization data. Section two lists all possible sports offered. If a student-athlete plans on participating in more than one sport in the coming school year, the parent must sign on the line corresponding to each of those sports. Also included in section two is permission by the parent or guardian for emergency medical treatment. The first two sections must be completed by the parent or guardian and are kept on file at the school, as is section four which is the medical examination.

Section three is the health history which is to be completed and signed by both the student-athlete and the parent or guardian. Section four is the medical form to be completed by the authorized medical examiner.

If the student-athlete chooses to participate in a second sport during the same school year section five must be completed. This section is the PIAA re- certification by the parent or guardian. Any changes in the student's personal information should be noted on this form. If the student has suffered any illness or injury since the initial comprehensive examination, it must be noted on this form and the student will be referred for re-evaluation and completion of section six by the authorized medical examiner. A re-evaluation is required if the student-athlete suffers an illness or injury which renders the athlete unable to participate in 25% or more of the regularly scheduled season contests in the previous season and/or suffers an illness or injury which results in absence from school for ten or more days and/or which requires surgery.

Section seven, the final section, is the minimum wrestling weight classification form which was put into use this past wrestling season. The initial assessment is completed by a trained assessor (usually a certified athletic trainer) and the authorized medical examiner.

Donald Phykitt, DO, Medical Director - Guthrie Sports Medicine, is available to give talks or answer questions on this topic. If you are interested in arranging for either of those things, please let us know by replying to this email.