NCAA Backstop Padding Compliance for Safety

More than 10,500 sports-related concussions (SPC’s) occur each year in the NCAA.A concussion is a traumatic injury to the brain that alters the way your brain functions. An SPC follows a blow to the head and may be accompanied by a temporary loss of consciousness. It can result in temporary or permanent neurological and cognitive deficiencies. Unfortunately, far too many collegiate athletes suffer SPC’s. The NCAA sport with the highest number of concussions is wrestling, followed by men’s ice hockey, women’s ice hockey, and men’s football. According to the NCAA’s Injury Surveillance Program (ISP), between the 2009-2010 and 2013-2014 academic years, the concussion rate for athletes was 4.47 per 10,000 athlete exposures. And the number of reported SPC’s continues to rise, according to the American Journal of Sports Medicine. Those trends and statistics are troubling. Thanks in part to recent attention from the biographical sports movie Concussion, more people are finally realizing that SPC’s are a very serious problem. Boxers, football players, and even soldiers have all been outspoken advocates for traumatic brain injury research, some even donating their brains to science. In response to public discussions about traumatic brain injury in athletes, reducing or preventing concussions has become a national health priority. The NCAA takes concussions very seriously. They know they must provide safe facilities and proper treatments and protocols for all their athletes. As part of their pro-active approach, the NCAA Concussion Policy and Legislation mandates that institutions implement the following: 

1. An annual process that ensures student-athletes are educated about the signs and symptoms of concussion;
2. A process that ensures a student-athlete who exhibits signs, symptoms or behaviors consistent with a concussion shall be removed from athletics activities and evaluated by a medical staff member with experience in the evaluation and management of concussion;
3. A policy that precludes a student-athlete diagnosed with a concussion from returning to athletic activity for at least the remainder of that calendar day; and
4. A policy that requires medical clearance for a student-athlete diagnosed with a concussion to return to athletics activity as determined by a physician or the physician’s designee.

 The NCAA has also established strict rules of progression for all college athletes as they are recovering from head injuries. Instead of treating concussions, it would be far better to prevent them. Some SPC’s can be avoided with proper planning and the right facilities. The experts at Field Wall Pads will help ensure your fields and indoor sports areas comply with the new NCAA padding regulations. Trusted by colleges across the U.S., Field Wall Pads is pleased to be part of the solution to reduce concussions with our full assortment of wall and stadium padding. The safety and health of athletes has always been our number one priority and mission. As you may already know, not all wall pads are created equally. When padding is too thin or improperly installed, it’s sometimes worse than having no padding at all. Some parents have learned this the tragic way after their students were either injured or killed while playing sports. Field Wall Pads knows a thing or two about padding. In fact, we’ve been manufacturing state-of-the-art customized and protective padding for nearly three decades. Our superior wall padding products are constructed of 3” high-impact foam. At Field Wall Pads, safety comes first. We conducted our own independent research to see how our 3” foam wall pads stack up against the competition. We also looked specifically at the shock absorption performance as it pertains to impact. Our experts conducted G-max testing — or impact testing — to measure the shock attenuation performance of a playing surface. We found that our 3” foam wall pads provide superior protection against concussions. In fact, our wall padding is so thick that we’re the official padding provider for the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). If they count on us to protect their strong and powerful superstars, so can you. Not only are Field Wall Pads safe for your athletes, they’re also beautiful. That’s because we can provide custom designs, based on your specifications. School pride and spirit are essential elements at any NCAA college. Our protective field wall pads prominently feature your school colors and mascot. Universities across the nation trust our expertise and professionalism. The Arizona Razorbacks, Kansas Jayhawks, and the Iowa State Cyclones are just a few of the colleges that appreciate our fine craftsmanship. Professional sports teams — including the Kansas City Chiefs and the Denver Broncos — also rely on Field Wall Pads for our high-quality and attractive padding. Name a surface and we can provide protective padding to reduce the chance for injuries, including padding for fences, bleachers, guard rails, backstops, locker rooms, goal posts, wrestling rooms, and the list goes on and on. 

At Field Wall Pads, we’ll listen to your needs and suggest the best solutions. We can create the ideal protective products for any inside space or outdoor area. If installed outside, your padding will have to withstand a wide gamut of conditions and weather. That’s why we build all our wall padding to last. We use 18.5-ounce vinyl that is UV, water and mildew resistant. What could be easier for maintenance? Though all our products are easy to install, we also provide installation services at any location. You’ll appreciate working with the friendly Field Wall Pads staff on any new project. That’s because our mentality has always been “anything is possible” and we offer fair pricing and quick turnaround times on your NCAA wall pads. And because we design and manufacture all our products under one roof, we’re always accountable and precise. After we discuss your needs, our design team will get right to work and send you unlimited art proof designs until you’re completely satisfied. Take a look at our portfolio to see the variety and quality of our final products. Durable, UV curable inks let us print your artwork directly onto the vinyl fabric. The end result is a dazzling image that won’t peel or tear like a decal. At Field Wall Pads, we can use an existing design or create a completely new look. Phone the team at Field Walls Pads today. We’ll answer all your questions about design, price, timeline, and padding options. Or, if it’s more convenient for you, request a quote by completing our quick and easy online form. We look forward to working with you and providing a safe environment for all your NCAA athletes.