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Mission Statement

The mission of the Sports Medicine Advisory Committee (SMAC) is to provide information, vision, guidance and best practices to the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), which focus on the health and safety of students participating in interscholastic sports and activities. 

Goals of the Committee

• Advise the NFHS and member associations on medical and safety issues and conditions as they relate to interscholastic sports and activities rules writing and guidelines, as well as other programs and services the NFHS administers.
• Monitor, evaluate and disseminate current sports medicine information to the NFHS and member associations.
• Assist the NFHS in identifying, prioritizing and researching sports medicine issues. The committee will proactively address health and risk management issues of general and specific concern to the NFHS, member associations and participating students.
• Work cooperatively with the NFHS rules-writing committees to address sports medicine issues as they impact high school rules and the health and risk management of its participating students.
• Work cooperatively and maintain liaisons with sports medicine, sports industry and other related organizations that may assist the committee in its work.
• Advise the NFHS when deemed necessary and possible on questions regarding protective or special equipment not specifically addressed in the NFHS playing rules.
• Develop, review and revise NFHS position statements and guidelines to assist the NFHS leadership and membership in making informed decisions that contribute to minimizing risk associated with student participation in interscholastic sports and activities.
• Analyze and interpret the scientific injury data that is obtained from the National High School Sports-Related Injury Surveillance System (High School RIOTM). This information will allow the SMAC to initiate and support recommendations to the NFHS community intended to reduce risk through possible changes in rules, guidelines, best practices and/or equipment.
• Provide the NFHS leadership and membership current information on sports medicine issues through the NFHS Sports Medicine Handbook, the Sports Medicine section of the NFHS website and through other NFHS publications.

Revised and approved by NFHS SMAC in April 2023
April 2018
April 2014
October 2010