The Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation and UPMC Sports Medicine are once again teaming up to offer the Heads UP Pittsburgh program, an innovative concussion awareness and baseline testing initiative for young athletes in the Pittsburgh region.

The 2019 testing program begins June 10, and testing will end the week of July 30.  Free neurocognitive baseline testing will be available on a first-come, first-served basis for 4,000 athletes ages 10+ and, the first 500 participants in the 7-9 age group. Additionally, the first 2,500 participants in the 10+ age group will receive a wind resistance strength builder.

Registration is now open, and we advise you to register early as available dates and locations book very quickly. To register parents should visit www.upmc.com/baselinetesting.

The Penguins Foundation and UPMC Sports Medicine are celebrating the ninth year of the Heads UP Pittsburgh program. Since 2011, the Heads UP Program has baseline tested over 20,000 young folks across 25 different sports and provided concussion education awareness to over 50,000 parents, coaches, referees and teachers. The program has expanded each year to serve more youth and include a wider spectrum of sports. Today, the program tests athletes in every major sport, cheerleading, dance, and many other physical activities.

This year, there are eight testing sites. Community College of Allegheny County will once again serve as host to testing at its Boyce, North, South and West Hills Center campuses along with the Community College of Beaver County in Monaca, the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex, and UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. New this year, patients can also visit the UPMC-Children’s Hospital South Fayette for their testing.

The entire testing process takes about one hour.  Parents will meet with UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion staff to learn about Heads UP Pittsburgh.  Licensed athletic trainers from UPMC Sports Medicine will supervise the program and testing.  On the day of testing, participants must not be suffering from any symptoms of a concussion, nor have a suspected injury at the time of establishing their baseline.

For more information on the great work of the Penguins Foundation, please visit: www.pittsburghpenguinsfoundation.org