Youth sports don’t involve the same dangerous blend of power, size and speed as professional sports. However, they still carry risks of physical injury. As a result, certain safety precautions should always be taken to ensure maximum safety during competition.
At Liberty Mutual Insurance Play Positive™ we encourage parents, coaches and youth athletes alike to educate themselves on where to find information on preventing and identifying injuries – especially head injuries such as concussions.
Our partner Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) hosted a Google+ Hangout on Concussion Considerations to help Positive Coaches and Positive Sport Parents educate themselves on concussions.
Hosted by PCA Marketing Communications Manager David Jacobson, the PCA Concussion Considerations Google+ Hangout runs just short of a half-hour in length, and is much more than a mere “hangout.” In fact, it’s packed with valuable insight, experience and advice from David and his six panelists.
Included among these panelists are Dr. Gerry Gioia, a pediatric neuropsychologist at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C.; Jim Osborne, a brain injury specialist, PCA trainer and member of the Education Department at Immaculata University; current U.S. Women’s Soccer National Team member Rachel Buehler and former NFL quarterback Scott Secules,
Highlights and insights from this excellent online conference call include:
- A concussion is a brain injury, and should be taken very seriously by parents, coaches and youth athletes alike. Concussion care is very much “a team sport.”
- When the brain is injured, it is very vulnerable to a second injury, especially in the days following the initial injury.
- Most concussions do not involve anything as extreme or obvious as “blacking out.” In fact, losing consciousness only happens in 1 out of every 10 concussions.
- The knowledge base on concussions and their diagnosis and treatment is steadily growing, but an estimated 50% to 75% of all sports-related concussions are “missed.”
- Great progress in diagnosing and treating concussions is being made, and concussion “baseline tests” are becoming more standardized and advanced in all levels of all sports, including youth sports.
During the PCA Concussion Considerations Google+ Hangout, panelists also shared their unique and invaluable personal stories involving concussions experienced by themselves and other athletes under their care and supervision. These are extremely insightful anecdotes that should be listened to and absorbed by parents, coaches and youth athletes alike.
Watch the full PCA Concussion Considerations Google+ Hangout now >>
It’s important for parents, coaches and youth athletes alike to remember that every concussion is serious, so early recognition and appropriate response is important when it comes to reducing the risk of additional injury. Coaches and parents who best arm themselves with the tools and knowledge to protect young players will keep more heads in the game.
At Liberty Mutual Insurance, we constantly look for ways to celebrate the countless acts of sportsmanship and integrity shown by people every day. We created Play Positive™, powered by Positive Coaching Alliance, as part of this belief to help ensure that our kids experience the best that sports have to offer in environments that promote and display good sportsmanship. We believe kids can learn valuable life lessons when coaches and parents come together to support winning in and out of the pool.
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