Wake County School Board Considers Expanding Concussion Protocol to Include Wrestling

Wrestling matches and tournaments would be added to Wake County Public School System’s concussion and head‑injury policy under a revision the board took up for a first reading Feb. 17 in Cary. The draft change to Policy 42706145 would explicitly add wrestling to the list of activities that require an athletic trainer or an in‑person first responder, a requirement that the current policy singles out for football.

The revision reached the full board after the WCPSS policy committee on Feb. 3 voted by roll call to forward staff and North Carolina School Boards Association clarifications to the Feb. 17 consent agenda. The district first adopted the student‑handbook concussion language in March 2018 and most recently updated that handbook in March 2025; the Feb. 17 action was a procedural first reading that must be followed by a second reading and another board vote before the change becomes district policy.

Former high school athlete Denzel Aligweke spoke to the issue at the hearing, saying, "Definitely looking back at it ... I might have had a concussion. I never knew," and adding, "But I mean, I just wanted to play." Parent Kramer Pritchard, whose son is a quarterback at Heritage High School, urged prevention and awareness: "The more preventative we can be, I think, is going to be best case for the actual student-athletes," and "The more that it's front of mind, the more we're educated on what can, what can happen afterwards or signs during play."

District staff and association advisers suggested the wrestling language be added specifically for "wrestling matches and tournaments." WCPSS athletic director Darren Coe explained the draft also clarifies exclusions, saying the clarification to exclude flag football, which is "not yet sanctioned by the High School Athletic Association, is for clarity that it does not required that athletic trainers be at all of their practices and contests." Citizen Portal notes also record staff saying Wake County typically provides athletic trainers or first responders at contests by recommendation rather than by a strict state mandate.

The proposal arrives amid broader safety investments and protocol changes. The board recently reallocated a $10 million land‑purchase budget item into the security infrastructure fund, on top of about $20 million already reserved, giving roughly $30 million for security projects. Mark Strickland, the district chief of facilities and operations, said the district has been spending security funds since a 2019 audit recommended changes. Kendrick Scott, senior director of security, told the board, "We're looking to get more of those," referring to weapons detectors; the district currently uses detectors at large events and has implemented a see‑something, say‑something app, Rave mobile panic button, and clear‑bag rules at events. WRAL reporting also notes the district is shifting emergency response protocols from color codes to plain‑language commands, with training scheduled to begin next week and implementation targeted for the next school year.

State guidance frames the local conversation: North Carolina DPI's Return‑to‑Learn guidance requires local education agencies to provide annual staff development and to designate concussion contacts and return‑to‑learn plans. WCPSS materials cited by DPI include "Assisting Students with a Concussion," "Concussion FAQ," "Academic How To Plan of Care PPT," and "Academic Plan of Care." If the board advances the Feb. 17 revision, the policy will move to a second reading and another vote before becoming official, potentially changing how athletic‑trainer coverage is scheduled for wrestling matches and tournaments across Wake County schools.