Maryland State Youth Soccer Association
221 5th Ave. SE
Glen Burnie, MD 21061
P: 410.768.5401
Maryland State Youth Soccer Association Partners with InjureFree and MedStar Health to
Improve the Health and Safety of Youth Soccer Players
Columbia, MD - November 17, 2016 – In an effort to improve the coordination of medical care
for youth soccer players within Maryland, specifically with regard to concussions, the Maryland
State Youth Soccer Association (MSYSA) is partnering with InjureFree and MedStar Health. In
short, this partnership is designed to provide concussion education to coaches and administrators
while securing access to specialists for all participating players within 24-48 hours of injury.
The initial rollout will include all members of the 2017 Maryland State Olympic Development
Program (ODP) being enrolled in the InjureFree care coordination technology program.
Additionally, the rollout will extend to the teams participating in the 2017 MSYSA State Cup
and 2017 MSYSA Presidents Cup. The ultimate goal is to have the benefits of this
comprehensive partnership extended to every player registered with MSYSA over the next five
years.
“The MSYSA Board of Directors is excited about the implications of this partnership for our
membership as it improves the health and safety of youth soccer players across the state” said
Mark Cantor, MSYSA President. MSYSA Executive Director, Greg Smith, Ph.D. said “This
partnership is the first of its kind with regards to both scope and scale anywhere in the world and
the research findings have the potential to impact policy decision making for all of those who
play this beautiful sport. MSYSA is proud to be the first National State Soccer Association to
pursue such a comprehensive partnership and remains committed to progressively pursuing
partnerships for the benefit of all member clubs, leagues and players.”
MSYSA is excited to leverage InjureFree’s connectivity by partnering with regional health care
experts from MedStar Health. In this partnership, sports medicine clinicians and youth sports
researchers will be working with association administrators to appropriately monitor injury
trends within the youth sports population.
“Sports injuries often get little attention at the youth level. This partnership will help us research
priority injuries, develop interventions, and guide medical management to safely return these
players to school and play,” said Andrew Lincoln, ScD, Director of MedStar Sports Medicine
Research.
InjureFree CEO Charlie Wund commented, “Youth sports organizations are increasingly
struggling with injury management, especially concussions. Health systems are looking for ways
to enhance services within their surrounding communities. InjureFree bridges this gap and
creates a connected care ecosystem that results in heightened oversight and reduced
administrative burden. We’re excited to engage with MSYSA and MedStar on such an
innovative project and committed to advancing care delivery for all of youth sports.”
As youth sport associations manage rule changes and state law compliance while providing for a
safe playing environment, MSYSA is tapping InjureFree’s ground breaking technology and
ability to aggregate data to set a new standard of care for today’s participants. By creating the
gold standard of care, MSYSA is working to ensure a positive playing environment for the
future.
For more information:
Greg Smith, Ph.D., MSYSA, [email protected], 410-768-5401
Charlie Wund, InjureFree, [email protected], 866-591-2747 x801
Andrew Lincoln, ScD, MedStar Health, [email protected], 410-261-8217
###
About InjureFree
InjureFree is a web-based injury documentation and education platform for schools and youth
sports organizations. InjureFree provides an all-in-one solution that keeps organizations in
compliance with state laws, reduces paperwork, and provides a communication platform during
recovery, including return to play documentation. InjureFree is a product of the Agency for
Student Health Research. After a four-year development project, the HIPAA and FERPA
compliant software and mobile platform is now collecting injury reports across the world. Visit
InjureFree.com, follow us on Facebook and Twitter, or email us at [email protected] for more
information on how InjureFree can help your community.
About MSYSA
MSYSA is a US Youth Soccer National State Association and is affiliated with both US Youth
Soccer and the US Soccer Federation. The mission of MSYSA is to serve as the primary
advocate for youth soccer in the state. MSYSA is dedicated to offering the highest quality soccer
education, player development and programs while fostering sportsmanship, fitness, diversity,
teamwork and passion for the game.
About MedStar Health
MedStar Health is a not-for-profit health system dedicated to caring for people in Maryland and
the Washington, D.C., region, while advancing the practice of medicine through education,
innovation and research. MedStar’s 30,000 associates, 6,000 affiliated physicians, 10 hospitals,
ambulatory care and urgent care centers, and the MedStar Health Research Institute are
recognized regionally and nationally for excellence in medical care. As the medical education
and clinical partner of Georgetown University, MedStar trains more than 1,100 medical residents
annually. MedStar Health’s patient-first philosophy combines care, compassion and clinical
excellence with an emphasis on customer service. For more information, visit
MedStarHealth.org.
###