Sports Medicine Advisory Committee

Overview

The Sports Medicine Advisory Committee (SMAC) provides NJSIAA Executive Committee and staff with resources, guidance, recommendations, and best practices that focus on the health and safety of student-athletes.  The goals of the committee are as follows:

  1. Advise NJSIAA and its member schools on medical and safety issues and conditions as they relate to interscholastic sports rules and guidelines.
  2. Monitor, evaluate, and summarize current sports medicine information for review by NJSIAA and its member schools.
  3. Assist NJSIAA in identifying, prioritizing, and researching sports medicine issues by proactively addressing health and risk management issues of general or specific concern.
  4. Advise NJSIAA when necessary, of questions or concerns regarding protective or special equipment not specifically addressed in NFHS playing rules.
  5. Monitor, evaluate and interpret information emanating from the NFHS Sports Medicine Advisory Committee.
  6. Provide resources, position statements or guidelines on sports medicine issues for publication to member schools as well as for content under the Health & Safety section of the NJSIAA website.

Committee Composition

The current chair of the Committee is Dr. Chris Mendler, Medical Director, Sports Medicine, Holy Name Medical Center and is designated as NJSIAA’s Chief Medical Officer. 

The committee is comprised of no more than 13 voting members representing various practices and specialties who are either Board Certified and/or Fellowship trained in Sports Medicine.  Such practices and specialties include, but are not limited to, family medicine/pediatrics, orthopaedics, internal medicine, sports psychology and physical medicine and rehab. 

In addition, the committee will also include a minimum of one from each category of school personnel – school nurse, athletic trainer and athletic director or principal. 

Committee Meetings

The committee meets a minimum of three times per year in person.  Sub-committees and working groups may be formed when necessary for specific topics or issues. The chair of the Committee may invite subject matter experts to attend a meeting when necessary. 

Committee Proposals

NJSIAA SMAC may submit proposals to the Executive Committee to add, modify or remove policies or guidelines.  Any proposal submitted to the Executive Committee will have two readings before final approval is received.