Indiana Code 20-34-7-7. Certified coaching education course for interscholastic sport coaches; intramural sport election; coaching services immunity
(b) This section applies to a head coach or assistant coach who:
Terms Used In Indiana Code 20-34-7-7
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- school: refers to a public school and a state accredited nonpublic school. See Indiana Code 20-34-7-1.6
- student athlete: means any student who:
Indiana Code 20-34-7-1.7
(A) interscholastic sport; or
(B) intramural sport and elects to comply or as part of the head coach’s or assistant coach’s coaching certification requirements is required to comply with this chapter; and
(2) is not subject to section 6 of this chapter.
(c) Before coaching a student athlete in any sport, a head coach and every assistant coach described in subsection (b) must complete a certified coaching education course that:
(1) contains player safety content on concussion awareness;
(2) after December 31, 2018, includes content for prevention of or response to heat related medical issues that may arise from a student athlete’s training;
(3) requires a head coach or an assistant coach to complete a test demonstrating comprehension of the content of the course; and
(4) awards a certificate of completion to a head coach or an assistant coach who successfully completes the course.
(d) A course described in subsection (c) must be approved by the department, in consultation with a physician licensed under IC 25-22.5. The consulting physician for a course described in subsection (c)(1) must have expertise in the area of concussions and brain injuries. The department may, in addition to consulting with a physician licensed under IC 25-22.5, consult with other persons who have expertise in the area of concussions and brain injuries when developing a course described in subsection (c)(1).
(e) A head coach and every assistant coach described in subsection (b) must complete a course described in subsection (c) in a manner prescribed by the state board under IC 20-28-5.5-1 or IC 20-28-5.5-1.5.
(f) Each school shall maintain all certificates of completion awarded under subsection (c)(4) to each of the school’s head coaches and assistant coaches.
(g) A head coach or an assistant coach described in subsection (b) who complies with this chapter and provides coaching services in good faith is not personally liable for damages in a civil action as a result of a concussion or head injury incurred by a student athlete participating in an athletic activity for which the head coach or the assistant coach provided coaching services, except for an act or omission by the head coach or the assistant coach that constitutes gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct.
As added by P.L.135-2016, SEC.7. Amended by P.L.19-2018, SEC.1; P.L.92-2020, SEC.88; P.L.250-2023, SEC.38.