A new report shows a sharp spike in the number of children sustaining concussions in New York.

The report finds that the number of kids in New York being diagnosed with concussions jumped 72 percent in five years. The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association says teens ranging from ages 15 to 17 years old were most likely to be diagnosed.

Locust Valley High School football coach Chris Wagner says that his players wear the best protective equipment.

"It's important that the helmets properly fit - that we check them every Monday and every Friday to see that everything is as it should be," he says.

Wagner says that his players learn how to prevent head injuries during drills in practice.

Dr. Michael Kennedy, a sports medical physician, says there is also greater awareness of concussions among parents. He says that many are erring on the side of caution by bringing their children to get checked as soon as they suspect a possible concussion in order to prevent long-term effects.

In 2012, New York passed a law requiring the immediate benching of any student who has or may have suffered a concussion in a school sport.

That law says the student could play again only after he or she is cleared by a doctor.