PORTSMOUTH — School officials are considering whether the district needs to bolster its policies to protect athletes against concussions and other serious injuries on the field.

School Board member Kent LaPage brought up the issue Tuesday night after he asked fellow officials to draft a resolution to reduce injuries in high-contact sports — like football and hockey — to the New Hampshire School Boards Association, according to School Board Member Mary Olea.

LaPage, who was not proposing to stop any sports program, mentioned Tuesday that a member of the Dover School Board suggested during a meeting Oct. 1 that its district should stop its football program due to the dangers of concussions.

Paul Butler, who played football in high school and college, believed the risk of brain trauma among young athletes is too high. Fellow board members in Dover did not support banning football.

While she supported LaPage’s proposal, Olea said she gathered that fellow board members were not ready to write a resolution about the matter quite yet.

“They wanted to learn more about the policies from the athletic director,” Olea said, adding she expects officials to continue discussing the subject next meeting. The school board is next scheduled to meet Oct. 23 at the Little Harbour School.

Athletic Director Rus Wilson said would be happy to talk to the school board about concussions and he anticipates there will have to be a “roundtable discussion,” which includes officials, players and parents.

Wilson said the district already follows the rules of the New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association (NHIAA) and has its own guidelines about preventing injuries as well as requirements for athletes are recovering from brain injuries.

“Obviously, it’s been a big concern locally and around the country,” Wilson said, adding the district’s rules apply to all sports.

“Probably soccer is one most people don’t think about,” Wilson said.

Wilson said student athletes who show signs of a concussion are taken off the field and won’t return until they’re evaluated by a doctor, have time to recover and receive permission to start competing again.

“Anything major, they have to get a doctor and the parent to sign,” Wilson said.

As concussions can be a serious injury, Wilson said the district tests all athletes to establish a baseline for neurologic performance. Injured students must be re-tested following a concussion to ensure they return to baseline before playing.

While the school board should be informed before making a decision, Olea feels officials should not wait to look into the matter until an athlete is injured. As far as she knows, there have been no serious injuries this year, but there could have been one last season.

“I think this is going to be bigger than people realize,” Olea said, adding this health and safety issue has already drawn national attention.

Olea, whose son played football at the University of Delaware, said she’s noticed an increase in violence in sports — especially on the professional levels.

“I’m a huge hockey nut — I grew up a hockey fan,” Olea said, adding some athletes use force when they should be trying finesse.

As more girls and women are playing sports, Olea said there has been an increase of injuries among female athletes.

“They have a lot more injuries than people realize,” Olea said, adding this requires a change in perspective, as men and women have different physical abilities and limitations.

jquinn@newstote.com