Rowan’s Law
Overview
Rowan’s Law legislation was passed by the Ontario Government in 2018. This legislation is named after Rowan Stringer, a high school athlete who tragically died in 2013 after suffering multiple concussions while playing rugby. Rowan’s Law was established to honor her memory and bring awareness to concussions and concussion safety.
Requirements of Rowan’s Law
Rowan’s Law (Concussion Safety), 2018 makes it mandatory for sports organizations to:
- Ensure that athletes under 26 years of age, parents of athletes under 18, coaches, team trainers, and officials confirm every year that they have reviewed Ontario’s Concussion Awareness Resources
- Establish a Concussion Code of Conduct that sets out rules of behavior to support concussion prevention that must be reviewed and signed off each year by athletes, parents, coaches, trainers, and officials
- Establish a Removal-from-Sport and Return-to-Sport protocol
Rowan’s Law Legislation can be found HERE
Ontario’s Concussion Awareness Resources
The Ontario government created concussion resources to help Canadians learn more about concussions, so we can keep ourselves, and others, active and safe. Ontario’s Concussion Awareness Resources are available in the following three formats:
- E-booklet
- Video
- E-module
Dive Ontario stakeholders must review one of these resources each year. Stakeholders are encouraged to choose the format that best suits their learning style.
Resources can be accessed HERE
Dive Ontario Concussion Codes of Conduct
All Dive Ontario stakeholders are required to review and sign off on the relevant Code of Conduct at the point of registration each season.
Dive Ontario Concussion Code of Conduct – Coaches, Administrators, Staff, & Board Members
Dive Ontario Concussion Code of Conduct – Athletes & Parents
Dive Ontario Removal-from-Sport Protocol
This protocol and its supporting documents outline the process for the immediate removal of an athlete who is suspected of having sustained a concussion.
Dive Ontario Removal-from-Sport Protocol
Dive Ontario Removal-from-Sport Protocol Summary Chart
Dive Ontario Suspected Concussion Form
Dive Ontario Medical Assessment Form
Dive Ontario Return-to-Sport Protocol
This protocol and its supporting documents outline a return-to-sport process for an athlete who has been removed from training, practice, or competition due to a suspected or diagnosed concussion.
Dive Ontario Return-to-Sport Protocol
Dive Ontario Return-to-Sport Protocol Summary Chart
Dive Ontario Return-to-Diving Tracker
Dive Ontario Medical Clearance Form
Dive Ontario Concussion Training Manual
To help Dive Ontario stakeholders understand concussions and Rowan’s Law, Dive Ontario created a concussion training manual. This manual discusses the following topics: concussions, Rowan’s Law, Ontario’s concussion awareness resources, all of Dive Ontario’s concussion documents, and a summary of responsibilities.
