I am writing to voice my opinions on sports concussions. As an athlete myself, I've played various sports throughout my life and I've gotten many injuries in doing so. However, with that in mind, I've never had an injury as serious as a concussion. With that said, I am still very much aware of the many dangers of attaining a concussion.
Concussions are a growing issue in sports in all level of competitiveness. However, in high school, I feel that the serious consequences of concussions are not being stressed enough to our athletes and their parents. A concussion is a blow to the head that causes the brain to shake. This causes the brain to temporarily stop working properly. This serious injury can sometimes go undetected and, in most cases, occurs without the athlete losing consciousness. This poses severe risk to their health because it can cause permanent mental and physical problems such as brain damage and paralysis.
This is a serious issue to stress upon and inform our athletes and their parents as well. Many athletes are victims of concussions. Coaches need to educate our young athletes about the many serious consequences. Also having education programs with both athletes and their parents can come a long way in preventing concussions.
Mark Galiza
Kihei
