The New York Times has a terrific story in today’s paper about
the proactive approach the NFL is finally taking on head injuries.
If you are an athlete, coach, parent, or athletic trainer, you must
read this. Head injures are no longer being taken lightly. The
long-term affects of head injuries is staggering.
Read the article
As for me, this is a 2008 article I wrote for the Washington
State Coaches Association quarterly journal. As a risk management
consultant and former high school basketball coach, I have my own
take and here is its reprisal…
It was December, 2005 and I was coaching the first
game of our high school basketball season at North Kitsap High
School (WA). It was late second quarter and we were playing North
Mason at home. A North Mason player was heading on a two-on-one
fast-break and my point guard Katie was in great position to take a
charge. As the offensive player made her move to the basket, Katie
stood her ground, feet planted, in perfect
position.
BAM!
The collision came and the referee signaled
offensive foul. Everyone on our bench and in the stands jumped up
and cheered…except for Katie. She lay motionless on the
floor.
When I went out to see her it was apparent she had
suffered a concussion. Her head hit the floor hard after the impact
with the other player. This was her second concussion in a couple
of years. Needless to say Katie didn’t finish the game and missed
two more before she was cleared to play again.
It’s not only football coaches that should be
worried about head injuries. Concussions are common in most sports,
especially basketball, soccer, wrestling, and baseball/fast pitch.
Any opportunity for contact with either another player or equipment
lends itself to this peril. In fact last winter, the UCLA
basketball program was in the news as two of their players were out
a significant time due to concussions.
Concussions and other head injuries are tough to
prevent. They are part of the game. That being said, as a coach,
you can plan for them and how you respond. As you head into a new
year, now is the time for you as coaches to start preparing your
game plan when it comes to head injuries. What do I mean by
that?
o Regardless of your sport, make time in your
pre-season meeting with players and parents to discuss the inherent
dangers of your sport. You need to lead off with a discussion about
head injuries. Document your presentation, both with the players
and parents. If you can, use video to record the meeting. As I used
to tell my players, the video never lies. If you are ever accused
of not warning properly, you now have proof. Sorry…it’s the world
we live in.
o Don’t take chances. It’s easy to say now that you won’t put an
athlete back in a game after a head injury. It’s harder when the
game is on the line, the emotions are high, and he/she looks fit to
participate. Make a decision now that part of your game plan is to
resist that urge and just say no. At North Kitsap, we were
fortunate to have a training staff that had to clear an athlete to
play. Most high schools don’t have that luxury. And, if you think
this doesn’t happen, think again. The newspapers are filled with
stories of kids who received serious injuries after going back in
following a head injury. Just say no.
o Resist the urge to play them too soon after a concussion. Look, I
was one of you. Good sense sometimes flies out the window in the
middle of a season. The player wants to play; the parent wants them
to play; YOU want them to play. The bottom line is that nothing is
as important as your athlete’s health…period. Once a player has
suffered a concussion, it is easier to get another one. Troy Aikman
and Steve Young are perfect examples. Wait to get medical clearance
from a doctor before letting them back into play.
There are two important factors you face with this
issue. The first is the long-term health of your player. You have a
great responsibility as their coach to protect them from undue
harm. Take that responsibility seriously. The second is to protect
you. You have liability for their care. If you don’t use best
practices, you may find your name on the front page of the paper
instead of the sports page…for all the wrong reasons. If you do
everything a prudent and educated coach should do when it comes to
head injuries, you will be also protecting your reputation and
career.
By the way, breaking news on the hard-hitting safety who is
famous for applying th hit that paralyzed New England Patriots WR
Daryl Stingley. Former Oakland Raiders start Jack Tatum passed away
today as the result of a heart attack. He was 61 years old.
© 2010 Dan Weedin. All Rights Reserved
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