The Concussions Acquired in High School Sports
Concussions in high school sports add up to about ten percent of all the injuries that occur within high school athletics. Concussions are a very serious injury that can not just be ignored. Athletes that suffer from multiple concussions may be taken out of contact sports for the rest of their lives. Concussions occur in high school sports more often than youth sports and even collegiate sports. Although some may say high school students play sports at their own risk, high school sports’ associations should take more precautions concerning concussions because not only do concussions lead to severe brain damage, but also they can cause short-term, or even long-term, memory loss.
Brain damage is the worst effect a concussion can have on any given athlete. Multiple concussions can lead to brain damage. Also, concussed athletes who do not take the appropriate time of rest and play can obtain another head injury, what doctors call a double concussion, which can cause severe brain damage.
According to concussiontreatment.com, “It is imperative that a person fully recover from one concussion before risking a subsequent one. Failing to do so adequately can lead to additional neurologic damage.” (“Concussion Facts”) Associations need to establish certain times players with concussions are off the field because most of the time it is the greedy coach who is sending the injured player back into the game without the appropriate rest period. This is important to high school sport’s associations because athletes with concussions can hurt themselves even more, sometimes leading to permanent damage, if they do not take the proper amount of time off the field.
Memory loss is a serious side effect, athletes, parents and sport associations need to consider. According to Jeanie Lerche Davis, “For teenage athletes, even mild concussions can cause memory problems lasting up to a week” (Davis). This all relates because concussed teenage athletes are at the most risk when talking about memory loss compared to any other age groups.
Memory loss is a horrible thing to go through; there have been cases where teenagers completely forgot how to write, count, and say the alphabet. People need to realize that high school academics are more important than athletics and preserving the memory of athletes should be a priority of high school sports’ associations. People who think high school sports’ associations should not take heavier precautions when dealing with concussions would say that players play their respective sports at their own risk. They may also say that it is not the association’s job to ensure the safety and the players or that they do not want to game to be affected because of stricter rules. These people are absolutely ridiculous. The purpose of the associations in different states is to ensure fair play and safety of students who wish to take advantage of the privilege of playing sports for their given school. The safety of the players should be more of a concern than of who is lifting the trophy at the end of the season. In conclusion, high school sports’ associations need to take more safety measures when dealing with concussions and high school athletes.
Concussed athletes can go through a series of damage to their brain and memory system, sometimes even permanent. Concussions are becoming more and more serious and causing more fatal side effects in high school sports, especially contact sports. If associations were to develop step by step tests and specific procedures that concussed athletes had to pass before returning to the field, the number of teenagers with brain damage, memory loss, and even concussions would decrease significantly. Start assembling more rules dealing with concussions in high school sports!
