In a stunning development in the debate over soccer heading, the United States Soccer Federation ("USSF") announced on November 9, 2015 a series of steps aimed at reducing the risk of head injuries in soccer and better managing them when they occur. As part of a settlement resolving a pending class-action lawsuit filed against USSF and others in 2014, the organization will now ban players age 10 and younger from heading the ball and limit heading in practice for those from age 11 through 13 in programs it directly controls, and recommend that youth soccer organizations not under it control follow such new rules.

Specifically, U.S. Soccer has now come out against heading in practices or games at the U11 level and younger, and that heading in training at the U12 and U13 be limited to a maximum of 30 minutes per week with no more than 15-20 headers per player per week.

If an adult experiences an acute, sudden onset of chest pain, most people would say that the decision about whether that person had or is having a heart attack should be made by a doctor, that if you suspect something serious is going on, the person should get checked out right away by a medical professional. No smartphone app or test can - or should - take the doctor's place.

The same is true for concussions, say the experts.

If a parent, coach, or game official has reason to suspect that a player has suffered a concussion playing sports, the athlete should be checked out right away by a medical professional.

No matter what anyone may tell you, no smartphone app or sideline test can put a parent or a coach in a position to diagnose a concussion or determine on the sideline that it somehow safe for an athlete to return to play.

That job can ONLY be done by a licensed medical provider.

End of story.

Bullying or competitive play? In sports, it can sometimes be difficult to tell the two apart.

While intimidation can be a natural part of competition, studies have shown that kids who are teased in gym class or sports are less likely to participate in physical activity one year later. As athletes and parents of athletes, how do we spot real sports bullies and what should we do about them? Since October is National Bullying Prevention Month, it's a good time to address this very important topic.

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services defines bullying as "unwanted, aggressive behavior among school-aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time." Bullying can take on various forms, including everything from teasing, to name-calling, and even to taunting.

Signs suggesting that an athlete has suffered a concussion are hard to spot. As a result, diagnosing a concussion often depends on finding out whether an athlete is experiencing concussion symptoms.

The problem is, as study after study shows, chances are high that an athlete who has had his "bell rung" or been "dinged" won't tell anyone he is experiencing concussion symptoms.

Why? There are lots of reasons, but mostly because players fear losing playing time or disappointing the coach, teammates, parents or even themselves if they don't display the toughness our sports culture expects even of our youngest athletes.