Ther ehasbeenal otoft al kaboutc onc us s i onsi nt henewsandar oundt hes oc c erwor l di nt he l as tf ewy ear s .Pl ay er sar et ak i ngl egal ac t i onagai ns tl eaguest hatdi dn’ tpr oper l ypr ot ec t t hem,r ec ent l yBr andi Chas t ai nannounc eds hewoul dbedonat i ngherbr ai nt os c i enc ef or r es ear c hont heef f ec t sofc onc us s i onsandbr ai ni nj ur i es ,andt hes t at ss howpar ent shav e begunt ak i ngt hei rc hi l dr enoutofs por t sf orf eart heyc oul dbec hr oni c al l yi nj ur edbya c onc us s i on. Mor eandmor ewear ebei ngmadeawar eoft hedanger sofc ont ac ts por t s ,andwhatc an happenl at erdownt hel i nef orat hl et eswhos uf f erc onc us s i onsbuthowmuc hdoest he av er ageAmer i c an,s oc c erpar ent ,orat hl et er eal l yunder s t andaboutc onc us s i ons ?As ur v ey c onduc t edbyt heHar r i sPol l onbehal foft heUni v er s i t yofPi t t s bur ghMedi c al Cent erf oundt hat 87% ofAmer i c andonotk nowt hedef i ni t i onofac onc us s i onandonl y3i n5c anc l ear l yi dent i f y t hei mmedi at es y mpt omsofac onc us s i on.Pos s i bl ymor eal ar mi ng,t hes ur v eyf oundt hat4out of5ar en’ tc omf or t abl et hatt heywoul dk nowt hes t epst omanageort r eatac onc us s i oni ft hey wer et os us t ai none.1/ 3ofpar ent ss ur v ey eds ayt hey“ l i v ei nf ear ”t hatt hei rc hi l dwi l l s uf f era c onc us s i onandaf our t hwon’ tl ett hei rc hi l dpl ayc ont ac ts por t sf ort hi sr eas on.Ac c or di ngt o t heSpor t sNeur ops y c hol ogySoc i et y ,“ Att hi st i met her ei snor es ear c ht hatl i nk sy out hc ont ac t s por tpar t i c i pat i onwi t ht her i s kf orCTE.Todat e,t her ehav ebeennor epor t sofCTEi ny oung c hi l dr en. ” Let ’ sbec l ear ,c onc us s i onc anbes er i ous -butt heydon’ thav et obes c ar yenought ohaunt y ourev er y dayl i f e.Themedi ahasi nf l at edc onc er nsbyr epor t i ngonhi ghpr of i l epr of es s i onal at hl et eswhos epos t s por tl i v eshav ebeenpl aguedwi t hapr ogr es sdec l i nei nphy s i c al and ment al abi l i t i es ,moods wi ngs ,anddepr es s i on.Ac c or di ngt ot heSpor t sNeur ops y c hol ogy Soc i et y ,ex ami nat i onoft hes eat hl et es ’ br ai nsaf t erdeat hs howabnor mal i t i est hathav ebeen c al l edChr oni cTr aumat i cEnc ephal opat hy( CTE) .Ther ei sc ur r ent l ynodef i ni t i v er es ear c ht hat s howst heex ac tc aus eofCTE.Whi l emanyat hl et eswhohav eCTEal s ohav eahi s t or yof r epeat edheadt r auma,t heSpor t sNeur ops y c hol ogySoc i et yal s os t at est hatnotal l at hl et es wi t has i mi l arhi s t or yofheadt r aumadev el opCTE. Al l t hi sbei ngs ai d,t hemos ti mpor t ants t epi st or ec ogni z eandt r eatanypos s i bl ec onc us s i on. Wi t hpr opermanagementac onc us s i ondoesnothav et oendac hi l d’ spl ay i ngday s .US Soc c erhasr ec ent l yannounc eds ugges t edheadi nggui del i nesf ory oungpl ay ert ohel pl es s en t hec hanc ef ori nj ur yandNebr as k aSt at eSoc c erwi l l announc eourupdat edc onc us s i onand headi ngpol i c yl at ert hi ss ummer .Formor ei nf or mat i ononhowt oef f ec t i v el ydeal wi t ha s us pec t edc onc us s i on,c hec koutt heOPTIBl ogonPage4!
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Coaches o t hal l t het al kaboutc onc us s i onsandheader si ns oc c er ,It houghti twoul d r Wi beappr opr i at os har emyv i ewandmyper s onal ex per i enc ei nr egar dst oc onc us s i ons n andheadingtheball. e TwentyyearsagoIgraduatedfrom highschoolandwasgettingreadytobeginmyDivi s i onIc ar eeratBr i gham YoungUni v er s i t y .Al t houghIhadpl ay ed4y ear sofVar s i t yhi gh r schoolsoccer,beena5timestatechampionandRegionalChampionshipsSemi-finalist4of
t hos e5y ear s ,pl ay edODPs i nc eIwas13,Idi dnotonc er ec ei v edac onc us s i oni nanys oc c er gameorpr ac t i c e. Somemi ghts ayt hatc onc us s i onswer enotmoni t or ed/ ev al uat edc l os el yenoughbac kt hen,and i t ’ spos s i bl et heywer en’ t ,butIdi dn’ tgetmyf i r s tdi agnos edc onc us s i onunt i l myJ uni ory eari nc ol l ege… andi twas n’ tf r om headi ngt hes oc c erbal l ,butr at heri twasduet ot heopponentheadi ng myt empl ewhens hec hal l engedmef ort heai rbal l .Ihada“ mi nor ”c onc us s i on( t hat ’ swhatt hey c l ar i f i edi tasbac kt hen)andmyr oommat ess pentt heent i r eni ghtwak i ngmeupev er yf ewhour s t omak es ur eIwasabl et owak eup.Twoday sl at erIhadnoc onc us s i ons y mpt omsandaweek l at erIpl ay edi nournex ts c hedul edgame. I fI ’ m bei ngper f ec t l yhones t ,Ic an’ tr ememberhow,when,orwher emys ec ondc onc us s i on happened.Myt hi r dandf i nal c onc us s i onhappened4½ y ear saf t ermyf i r s tc onc us s i onwhenI waspl ay i ngi nt hef i nal s eas onoft heWUSA pr ol eague… agai n,i twasnotar es ul tof headi ngt hebal l ,butc hal l engi ngf orabal l i n t heai r .Is pentt hatni ghti nt hehos pi t al ,asI hadas ei z ur eont hef i el d,andIwasnot al l owedt ot r av el bac kwi t ht het eam,asI r ec ov er edf or3day st obewel l enought o t r av el home. Thet eam doc t or sr ec ommendedInotpl ayagai nunt i l Iwas100% s y mpt om f r ee,ands i nc enoonec andet er mi ne ex ac t l yhowl ongc onc us s i onr ec ov er yi s ,I wai t ed.Idi dnotpr ac t i c ef oroneweekand t hent woandt hent hr eeweek s .Iwass t i l l hav i ngnaus eaev er yt i meIs t ar t edj oggi ng. Ihadaheadac heandc ons t ant“ f og”ev er y dayf ort hos e3week s .Fi nal l y ,af t err eas oni ngt hatt heWUSAwasgoi ngt of ol datt he endoft hes eas onany way ,Idec i dedt or et i r e f r om pr of es s i onal s oc c er .I twasagooddec i s i on,asi tt ookaf ul l 6mont hsf ormet obe c ompl et el ys y mpt om f r ee.Iwi l l bet hef i r s tt o admi tt hatt her ear el ongt er m ef f ec t sofhav i ngmul t i pl ec onc us s i ons —t hat ’ soner eas on Ic an’ tr emembert hec i r c ums t anc esofmy s ec ondc onc us s i on,ort hedet ai l sofmos t c hi l dhoodmemor i es .
It el l t hi ss t or ys opeopl eunder s t andt hatIr eal l ydogethows er i ousc onc us s i onsar e andc anbe.Af t erhav i ng3c onc us s i ons ,doc t or shav eadv i s edmenott oheadt hebal l any mor ewhenIpl ays oc c erbec aus eonc ey ou’ v ehadonec onc us s i on,y ouar emor es us c ept i bl et oget t i nganot herandi tt ak esl es sf or c et oc aus eanot herc onc us s i on.Thatbei ngs ai d,t hough,Iwantt obe c l eart hatheadi ngt hes oc c erbal l di dnotc aus eanyofmyc onc us s i ons —c ont ac tf r om ot herpl ay er sdi d. Whi l eIf ul l ys uppor tU. S.Soc c eri nt hei rr ec ommendat i onst opr ev entheadi nj ur i esbynotal l owi ngi t i nt hegameat10andbel ow,It hi nkt her ei ss t i l l mor et hatc anbedonet oas s i s ti nk eepi ngpl ay er ss af e. It hi nkc oac hi ngeduc at i onc anas s i s t… Iwasf or t unat et obet aughtbygr eaty out hc l ubc oac heswho s pentt i mewor k i ngonpr operheadi ngt ec hni que.Ihopet hatc oac heswi l l gett hepr opereduc at i ont o t eac hpr operheadi ngt ec hni que… at11and12y ear sol dandup. Wec an’ tj us tc ompl et el yt ak eheadi ngoutoft hegameofs oc c er ,butwhati fl eaguesdi dn’ tal l owpunt i ngf r om t heGKsat12y ear sandbel ow? Or ,whati fweasc oac hesj us tt aughtourgoal k eeper st ot hr ow t hebal l t oat eammat er at hert hanas k i ngt hem t opuntt hebal l downt hef i el d? Whati fweasc oac hes t aughtpl ay er showt ot hr owt hebal l i nt oat eammat e’ sf eet ,r at hert hanj us tt eac hi ngt het hr owert ok eep hi sf eetont hegr oundands t ar twi t ht hebal l behi ndt hei rhead? Whati fweasc oac hes ,s pentmor et i me wor k i ngonc onnec t i ngpas s est of eetbet weent hedef ender s ,mi df i el der sandf or war ds ,r at hert hans t r at egi z i ngt ohav et hebac kl i nek i c ki tl ongt ot hef as tf or war d? May beweasc oac heshav ear es pons i bi l i t yt odomor et hanj us tbeawar eofc onc us s i ons ,butt obe pr oac t i v ei nhowt hegamei spl ay edandt aughtt ohel ppr ev ents i t uat i onst hatc aus ec onc us s i ons . Ofc our s ec onc us s i ons ,l i k eanyi nj ur y ,wi l l happeni n s oc c er ,ori nanyot hers por t… orbyr unni ngi nt oa l adder( y ep,I ’ v ehear doft hathappeni ng)… doesi t meanwedon’ tpl ay ? That ’ sadec i s i ont obemade i ndi v i dual l y… f orme,i tmeantr et i r i ngf r om t hegame Il ov edatage24… and,y es ,i tdoesaf f ec thowIpl ay t hegamet oday( when agoal k eeperpunt st hebal l ,I r ec ei v et hebal l wi t hmybodyr at hert hanheadi ngi t — t hatpr obabl ywoul dhav ebeenabet t erpos s es s i on s t y l ei nmyy oungerday sany way ) ,butIal s oweara hel metwhenIs nowboar dormount ai nbi k ef ort he s amer eas ons . . . IdowhatIc ant opr ev entheadi nj ur y , butIk eeppl ay i ngt hes por t sIl ov ek nowi ngt her ei s al way sar i s kf oranyi nj ur yf r om anyac t i v i t y .
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Youar emak i nganearpos tr uni nt hegoal boxasy ourt eammat es endsaf i r m,dr i v en c r os sr i ghti nt hedi r ec t i onofy ourhead.Youar eex c i t edf ort hepot ent i al goal y oumaybe s c or i ngandj umpupf ort hebal l t oheadi ti nt henet ,whent heper s ondef endi ngy ougoesupatt hes ame t i meandheadsy ourheadi ns t eadoft hebal l .Youf al l t ot hegr ound,wonder i ngwhatj us thappened. Needl es st os ay ,y oudi dn’ ts c or et hegoal .Oh,andnowy ouhav eac onc us s i on.
Ac onc us s i oni st hemos tc ommont y peofheadi nj ur yi nat hl et es .I toc c ur swhenaf or c ej ar st hebr ai n agai ns tt hes k ul l .I tc anr es ul tdi r ec t l yf r om abl owt ot heheadori ndi r ec t l yf r om as uddenj ol tt ot hebody , c aus i ngawhi pl as ht y peofef f ec tt ot hes pi neandhead.Conc us s i onsc aus edamaget obr ai nt i s s ueand needt obet ak ens er i ous l y .Sy mpt omst hatc anoc c uri mmedi at el yi nc l udeheadac he,di z z i nes s ,r i ngi ngi n t heear s ,s ens i t i v i t yt ol i ghtornoi s e,memor yl os s ,ups ets t omac h,andv omi t i ng.Ot hers y mpt omst hatar e of t ent i mesnotdet ec t edf orhour sorday saf t ert hei nj ur yi nc l udebutar enotl i mi t edt odi f f i c ul t yc onc ent r at i ng,i ns omni a,f at i gue,nec kandbac kpai n,dec r eas edbal anc eandc oor di nat i on,andi r r i t abi l i t y . Conc us s i ons y mpt omsar et y pi c al l ygonei naf ewday sbutt hebr ai nneedst oc ont i nuet oheal .Whenan at hl et eex per i enc esani nj ur yt ot heheadwi t hs us pi c i onofac onc us s i on,t hef ol l owi ngs t epsneedt obef ol l owed. 1. Remov et heat hl et ef r om pl ay 2.Hav et heat hl et eev al uat edbyt heappr opr i at eheal t hc ar epr of es s i onal 3.I nf or mt heat hl et e’ sr es pons i bl epar t yofpos s i bl ec onc us s i on 4.Onl yal l owat hl et et or et ur nt opl aywhenc l ear edbyaheal t hc ar epr of es s i onal t hati st r ai nedi n ev al uat i ngandt r eat i ngac onc us s i on. Conc us s i onsneedt obet ak ens er i ous l y !Par ent s ,c oac hes ,andpl ay er sneedt obeawar eofwhatac onc us s i oni sandhowdanger ousi tc anbe.Whenanat hl et ehass uf f er edmor et hanonec onc us s i on,i tc an r es ul ti nper manenti nt el l ec t ual andc ogni t i v ec hanges .TheCent er sf or Di s eas eCont r ol ( CDC) hasaf r eeonl i nepr ogr am t hati sav ai l abl et oc oac hes andpar ent si nor dert obe bet t eri nf or medonpr ev ent i on,i dent i f i c at i on,and t r eat mentofc onc us s i ons . Fi ndmor ei nf or mat i on aboutOPTIandt he t r eat mentofc onc us s i ons her e!
AmyTi l l eyi soneoft hemos tc r eat i v ei nnov at i v eandener get i cc oac heswehav ei n t hear ea.Sher eal l yembr ac est hei dea t hatt obeac oac hmeanst obeabouteac h andev er ypl ay erandnotj us taboutt he gameandwi nni ngandl os i ng.Hert eams t odot eambondi ngev ent sl i k ec ampout s , s oc c ergol f ,USNTwat c hpar t i esandot her f unac t i v i t es .Whenwat c hi ngherpr ac t i c es y ouar es ur et of i nds omeunus ual dr i l l s , s uc hasus i nga“ HannahMont ana”l aundr y hamperf ort ar getpr ac t i c e. ,butwhen peopl et hi nkofAmyasac oac ht heyt hi nk ofFUN. . .s omet hi ngt hats houl dbeapar tof t hegameatev er yl ev el . Amyi si nv ol v edi nt hes oc c erc ommuni t y mor et hanmos t -s hec oac hesi nBenni ngt onandEl k hor nSoc c erCl ubs ,i si nv ol v ed i nEl k hor nTOPSoc c er ,or gani z esf un t heme3v3t our nament s ,r unsaU4pr ogr am f orBeni ngt onandr ef er ees !Shehas herUSSoc c er“ D”Li c ens eandNSCAA Nat i onal Di pl oma.
Lal oi sar emar k abl ememberoft heFr emontSoc c erCl ub andt heU13BFr emontCy c l ones .Lal oi say oungman t hatwi l l al way sdowhathei sas k edonandof ft hes oc c er f i el d.Lal o’ sabi l i t yont hes oc c erf i el dar ec l ut c hands el f l es s .Lal oal way spr ef or msongamedayev enwhenhei s t hef oc al poi ntoft heot hert eam’ sdef ens e,Lal of i ndsa wayt ogetot herpl ay er si nv ol v edori ss el f det er mi nedt o wi l l hi st eam t ov i c t or y .Ear l yt hi ss eas onwhenhi st eam neededagoal i nat i es oc c ergame,Lal of oundawayt o s c or ewi t hmi nut est oens ur eav i c t or yf ori st eam.Lal oi s j us tnotout s t andi ngont hes oc c erf i el dbutev enbet t erof f t hef i el d.Lal ov ol unt eer snumer oushour si nt hec onc es s i ons t andt ohel pr ai s emoneyf ort hef ut ur eoft hes oc c er c l ub.Lal oal s ohel pshi smot herc oac haU6G s oc c er t eam onSat ur dayt opas sonhi sk nowl edgeandpas s i on f ort hegame.Lal oal s omak eshi sbr ot herands i s t er s bet t ers oc c erpl ay er sbypr ac t i c i ngwi t ht hem andhel pi ng t hem t ogetbet t er .Iam v er ypr oudofLal oac c ompl i s hment sonandof ft hef i el dandi sv er ydes er v i ngoft hi s awar d. Eduar do( Lal o)Par r aanex empl ar ys t udentoft hegame ofs oc c er .Notonl ydoeshedi s pl ayt hes k i l l sont hef i el d buti sal s oal eaderoft het eam.Hec ons t ant l ywor k shar d t r y i ngt oi mpr ov ehi ms el fandal s oi nc l udesev er y onei n pr ac t i c eandgames i t uat i onst oi mpr ov et hems el v es , mak i ngusabet t ert eam.Ihav eper s onal l yhadt hepl eas ur eofc oac hi ngLal of ors ev er al y ear s ,t hr oughs ome medi c al har ds hi ps ,s uc c es s f ul andnots os uc c es s f ul s eas ons ,al way sdoi nghi sbes t .If eel t hatLal oi sv er ydes er v i ngoft hi sawar df orhi spl ayont hepi t c h,l eader s hi p, at t i t udet owar dot her s ,ands pi r i toft hegame. Lal owasnomi nat edbyFr emontSCc oac hes .