Concussions..

[dacoach]

So.... with all the griping and moaning about the new rules and the hints of rules to come, I finally spent several hours researching and reading about rates of concussions in high school and college sports. As a HUG football fan and coach I absolutely love the game of football and all it teaches. My Dad played, my brothers played and my sons play. It is our family pass-time.

However, there is no one with a lick of sense who can argue the data that is out in the world-wide web for all people to read, review and make an informed decision.

By rates as large as 4 TIMES the amounts, football leads all sports in concussions. Even with the 100's of dollars spend in equipment to protect our student-athletes, they suffer concussions in much larger numbers than other sports. No REAL surprise there, but when you look into the numbers a little closer, there are some very interesting results. First, it seems that not only are there more actual concussions in volume number, there is also a much higher PERCENTAGE of players receiving concussions in football. Much more than any other sport, except woman's soccer. Seems they collide and get concussed a LOT in that sport, as well.

So what does this mean? Simple...

It means that when you signed up to play, you realized you were getting into a CONTACT sport. It means that the likelyhood you will get hit hard enough for your brain to slosh around in your skull and cause you to experience a rash of symptoms is VERY GOOD. It means, if you wish to AVOID said-sloshing you should not play. If you don't want your son's brain sloshing around in his skull, don't let him play.

We have $200+ helmets designed to absorb as much of the blow as technology can do. The rest is on you. Take responsibility for YOUR decision to play or not.

No one is making you...

 

[mathetes]

I agree with you on the women's soccer. I have seen far too many concussions in the past 3 years, including my own niece who was forced to give up the sport for that exact reason. I am surprised that they do not where a helmet that is available to protect them, but I am told that until USA Soccer does it you probably won't see it.

UNC Chapel Hill has been doing studies for years about concussions and are really no closer to determining what to do to protect an athlete. Impacts of equal pressure effect people differently. One it could knock out cold. The other could be just fine.

I have a former classmate that works for a company called Guardian that sells Helmet Covers that a lot of colleges are using in practice, but it only reduces the chance, not eliminates it. Soccer like Football, Lacrosse, or any contact sport you will find the risk for concussions.

I agree with you Coach, parents and athletes have to be responsible about when to play, and when to give it up. It is only a game.

 

[newpride]

While it is true that everyone should know the concussion risks and be responsible for making good decisions, we have to take steps to minimize the risks or face losing the sport and all of its benefits.

 

[red raider alum]

With all of this and knowing it is a COLLISION sport- what helmets are the BEST at preventing this?

 

[AirportDad2016]

Good luck trying trying to find that out. Every test or rating that comes out has a bunch of people claiming that the results are wrong. There is a 5-star rating system but a lot of controversy surronding it as well. Most of the new helmets have a 5-star rating.

 

[I20HWY]

I wouldn't have a problem eliminating any kind of football that involves youths through 8th Grade. Let the kids play flag football and learn the game instead of the impact collisions. Once they get to high school then you could start tackling. If our football coaches are proactive instead of reactive this may be handled better by the powers that be. I've seen plenty of Junior High Schoolers flatline at the high school level once others catch up to their size and speed. 7v7 summer football can replace the need for Junior Varsity and B Teams. All middle school football should be conducted at the Junior High level and within that domain to ensure fair play for all. Stockpiling teams at the high school level to increase their numbers for participation purposes is a false veil that Administrators see through in this day and age.

http://www.headcasecompany.com/concussion_info/stats_on_concussions_sports

The below numbers indicate the amount of sports concussions taking place per 100,000 athletic exposures. An athletic exposure is defined as one athlete participating in one organized high school athletic practice or competition, regardless of the amount of time played.

Concussion Rates per Sport

60+
64-76.8 Football

50+
54 Boys Ice Hockey

40+
40-46.6 Boys Lacrosse

30+
33 Girls Soccer
31-35 Girls Lacrosse

20+
22-24.9 Girls Field Hockey
22-23.9 Boys Wrestling

10+
19-19.2 Boys Soccer
18.6-21 Girls Basketball
16-21.2 Boys Basketball
16-16.3 Girls Softball
11.5-14 Cheerleading

0-9
7 Girls Gymnastics
6-8.6 Girls Volleyball
4.6-5 Boys Baseball

Sports Concussion Statistics:

• 3,800,000 concussions reported in 2012, double what was reported in 2002
• 33% of all sports concussions happen at practice
• 39% -- the amount by which cumulative concussions are shown to increase catastrophic head injury leading to permanent neurologic disability
• 47% of all reported sports concussions occur during high school football
• 1 in 5 high school athletes will sustain a sports concussion during the season
• 33% of high school athletes who have a sports concussion report two or more in the same year
• 4 to 5 million concussions occur annually, with rising numbers among middle school athletes
• 90% of most diagnosed concussions do not involve a loss of consciousness
• An estimated 5.3 million Americans live with a traumatic brain injury-related disability (CDC)

 

[HitHardah]

Get rid of the helmets altogether.

 

[red raider alum]

Put on the Flags!

 

[JB_a_Rivals]

. All middle school football should be conducted at the Junior High level and within that domain to ensure fair play for all. Stockpiling teams at the high school level to increase their numbers for participation purposes is a false veil that Administrators see through in this day and age.

What difference does it make where the middle school football is played? They are still playing other middle schools. That comment is TOTALLY irrelevant to the topic. I'm not quite sure what you mean by "ensure fair play for all."

Let me preface this next statement by saying that there are some good middle school coaches. But the fact is, there is so much bad coaching at the middle school level in general that it is a good thing to have those kids (and coaches) on a high school campus under the guidance of the varsity program.

So aide from the fact that "participation numbers" are increased, in my opinion you also decrease the risk of injury by making sure the kids are properly coached.

It's no different that bussing soccer players to the high school - or any other sport for that matter - for practices.

Back to the original topic, however, WHERE the kids play or practice is totally irrelevant to whether or not they are going to sustain a concussion.

 

[dacoach]

Stockpiling teams at the high school level to increase their numbers for participation purposes is a false veil that Administrators see through in this day and age.

20.... that is a beautifully written sentence...... that is absolute bologna.

I have been teaching and coaching for nearly 20 years at several different high schools across this state, and I have yet to see a "false veil" for an Admin to "see through." Schools are doing anything they can to keep their football numbers up nowadays - every school. And if an Admin doesn't realize the full-frontal attack our sport is under by the "let my kid play" liberals and the "I'll sue if my boy gets hurt" nutt jobs, then he or she don't meet the requirements to even be an Admin.

Using Byrnes as an extreme example, I know, but they have a half dozen Middle School teams, TWO B-Teams and TWO JV Teams. What kinda freakin "veil" do YOU see there?

Heck, many schools are now starting to have 7th grade teams AND 8th grade teams in Middle School to drum up interest. The problem starts - as I alluded to in my above post - when all these kids land on JV TOGETHER. Now coaches have to make their selections starting with what's best for Varsity - FIRST! Then they trickle down the rest for developmental and future returns. An above average 10th grader who can't beat the above average 11th grader with play JV for a year, and more than likely, ride the pine his Junior year waiting on the incumbent to graduate.

Problem is, mommy and daddy (and the personal trainer or camp co-ordinator!) have told them they are the greatest thing since sliced bread and they don't WANT to sit. They either change schools or quit in protest and focus on another sport.



I have seen dozens and dozens of kids quit one sport to focus on another and fail to get ANY kind of college offers or pro opportunities. It drives me CRAZY when these summer baseball coaches and AAU wannabe coaches hype these kids with ZERO prospect of them turning into a viable college player.



Sorry... you got my blood boiling and I went off on a whole 'nother direction. Couldn't help it. Better out than in, as Shrek would say.

 

[1Westsider]

its also ridiculous that football coaches now want kids to shut down or limit AAU Basketball or summer baseball to be at all the lifting, conditioning sessions and numerous 7 on 7 events throughout the summer. 20 years ago you could do both or all three because there wasn't so much demand for time from coaches in all sports. Coaches are pushing and pulling the specialization.
You tell a kid to limit doing something he loves, he will make a choice.

 

[dacoach]

Agreed.

I have never, nor have I ever worked for a coach, that wouldn't be flexible with kids that are multi-sport stars. It benefits the entire school to have your best athletes representing your school in terms of opportunities for victories in EVERY sport. And let's face it, folks - wins DO matter. It ain't a "Everybody gets to play" world on the high school level.

But these same AAU coaches trying to convince a kid to give up footabll so he might possibly get to college with a basketball scholarship is just plain ridiculous. College basketball coaches LOVE kids who play football! They are overwhelmingly tougher and stronger than the boys who don't!!

 

[I20HWY]

This needs to be a focus. I think tackle football should not start until the middle school years and really in this day and age probably not until their freshman year in high school. Just hate to see young people get derailed because of a concussion that could have been avoided altogether. My stance has changed since my playing days of yesteryear.

• 4 to 5 million concussions occur annually, with rising numbers among middle school athletes

 

[jimnasium]

Put on the Flags!

Even with just flags there will be concussions. I think we should take the running part out of the game and make both defense and offense WALK, you know, like speed walkers.

 

[JB_a_Rivals]

This needs to be a focus. I think tackle football should not start until the middle school years and really in this day and age probably not until their freshman year in high school. Just hate to see young people get derailed because of a concussion that could have been avoided altogether. My stance has changed since my playing days of yesteryear.

• 4 to 5 million concussions occur annually, with rising numbers among middle school athletes

Included in that 4 to 5 million are other sports...you gonna take those away too prior to high school? Hey, why don't we take all of the sports where we have concussions away?

That's the most ridiculous idea I've heard.

Let's take roller skating, skateboarding, and riding bikes away too. (Sarcasm)

 

[dacoach]

This is a no-win situation. Many of us are "old-school" folks fed up with all the babying and coddling of each generation that follows us. Unfortunately, as long as lawsuits, layers and "soccer mommies" keep getting involved we will continue to "protect" the athlete - atleast, only in football. Pay no attention to the fact its VOLUNTARY to play the game. Not important.

It's alot like the moral fabric of our country. It contiues to be frayed and unraveled, and most everyone seems to be mad about it, but no one can stop it.

 

[jimnasium]

This is a no-win situation. Many of us are "old-school" folks fed up with all the babying and coddling of each generation that follows us. Unfortunately, as long as lawsuits, layers and "soccer mommies" keep getting involved we will continue to "protect" the athlete - atleast, only in football. Pay no attention to the fact its VOLUNTARY to play the game. Not important.

It's alot like the moral fabric of our country. It contiues to be frayed and unraveled, and most everyone seems to be mad about it, but no one can stop it.

Hear Hear coach. Most of the greatest generation have passed on. The days of the tough generation is gone and replaced with everybody gets a trophy, and whining parents. Concussions are serious things but as long as there is football and kids choose to play it there will be concussions. Football is not a contact sport it's a collision sport you can't protect them on every down.