Local football team requires players to take a unique test before stepping out on the field

The Thunder Ridge Grid Kid Football league is requiring their players to take a new test before they step out on the field to prevent a kid from playing with a concussion.

The King-Devick Test is a two-minute rapid number naming assessment, during the test the player reads aloud single-digit numbers as quickly as they can.

The first time they take the test, their score is referred to as their baseline score and is used throughout the season as a reference.

During any game, if the kid takes a big hit, they are immediately removed from the game and given the King-Devick test on the sideline. If his results are worse than his baseline score then there is a possibility that they may have a concussion.

“By establishing a baseline with these kids we’re able to know if there is a suspected concussion. We can screen them and say, ‘hey somethings wrong here, we need to pull a kid from a game and then get him to proper medical attention that they need and make sure there isn’t one’. Or if there is a concussion that they can be treated properly before they come back to play,” said King-Devick test administrator, Devin Scoresby.

Scoresby says that an injury liaison, which can be a parent, will be present at every game to give a kid the test on the sideline if needed.