All high school varsity coaches in the state of Michigan will soon be required to have a valid Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification in order to coach. The requirement, approved by the Representative Council of the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) in December 2013, will take affect starting with the upcoming 2015-16 season.

The MHSAA joins dozens of other member-state associations in requiring some or all of a school’s coaches to be CPR certified. Most states require some form of first aid training for coaches, which can also include Automated External Defibrillator (AED) training.

This change by the MHSAA is in-line with a larger initiative by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) and its 51 members to minimize risk to student-athletes across the nation, whether it be from concussions, overuse injuries or sudden cardiac arrest.

CPR training, such as the one required by the MHSAA, can be completed for free through various organizations, many of whom offer online courses.

Read more from the MHSAA.