BaselinesSport-specific baselines
Baseline Testing for Referees and Officials
The people who enforce the rules that protect athletes have no brain protection of their own.
Referees and officials are physically present in the middle of every contest but have no baseline testing programs, no formalized concussion protocols, and often no sideline medical coverage. Soccer referees are struck by balls traveling at high velocity. Hockey referees are caught between colliding players. Football officials are hit by players running full speed. Basketball referees sustain collisions during fast-break plays.
The people who enforce the rules that protect athletes deserve the same brain protection those athletes receive. At Headquarters, we offer baseline programs for officiating organizations. See also baseline testing for police officers — another population with similar exposure gaps.
When to re-baseline
Plan every year before the first competition for athletes under 18, and every two years for adults in referees & officials. Always capture a new baseline after medical clearance from a concussion, after invalid or low-effort test results, when ADHD or other cognition-affecting medications change, or after 12+ months away from the sport.
See the sports baseline & re-baseline directory, how often to re-baseline, and the complete by-sport guide.