Youth sports come with risks. Concussions are one of them, and while they’re considered mild brain injuries, they can become a serious matter if not dealt with correctly.
Enter concussion training.
If you’re a youth sports coach or team leader, you’ve almost certainly undertaken some form of concussion training to protect your athletes. But do you know where it all started and how it became so crucial?
In this post, we’ll take a look at how this crucial aspect of athlete safety has evolved, so you can get a better understanding of its significance and how you can use it to protect your team.
When Did Concussion Protocol Start?
A concussion is a traumatic brain injury caused by an impact to the head. We now understand that even mild concussions can cause brain damage, particularly in children whose brains are still developing.
However, back in the day, i.e. pre-2009, concussions weren’t considered all that serious. While injuries were certainly common, especially in high-impact sports like football and hockey, the focus was on preventing and treating more visible injuries like broken bones and bleeding.
But when it came to head injuries, without any immediate outward sign of injury, coaches, players, and even parents often dismissed them as "just a bump on the head." Little did they know that concussions could lead to serious consequences, both short-term and long-term.
Brutal. Just brutal.
It wasn’t until the early 2000s that the medical community, along with sports organizations, began to realize the extent of the damage done by concussions and to acknowledge the importance of properly handling them.
There were still no strict regulations, but there were crucial milestones along the way.
Zackery Lystedt's Story: A Tragic Game Changer
One of these milestones was the tragic experience of a 13-year-old football player named Zackery Lystedt.
Zackery played football, both offense and defense, at Tahoma Junior High School in Maple Valley, Washington. During a home game, he sustained a blow to the head during a routine tackle.
“Zack was not knocked out, but he did grab his head and rocked back-and-forth in pain.”
- Victor Lystedt, Zack’s Dad
With no outward injuries, he was cleared to play through the rest of the game, which he did, and then collapsed on the field after the 4th quarter. Zach received emergency brain surgery to remove parts of his skull to relieve swelling and his life was saved, but it would be three years of painful medical treatments and surgeries before he was able to walk again.
Zackery suffered a catastrophic brain injury during a game because his concussion wasn't managed correctly.
This heartbreaking incident led Washington State to pass the Lystedt Law in 2009. The law mandates that young athletes receive proper concussion training and evaluation before returning to play.
This was a game-changer in the world of sports safety.
Read about Lystedt’s Law on the WA Govt website.
The Concussion Awareness Movement
Surprisingly, the awareness of concussions dates back to ancient Greece, when physicians wrote extensively about injuries to the head that caused loss of consciousness, paralysis and other issues.
Jumping ahead to the 1920s, the term "Punch Drunk" was coined to describe boxers who'd stagger around the ring after taking a blow to the head.
While we've known about the risks of concussions for most of recorded history, there's long been a strong stigma against reporting concussions.
Concussions may not show outward symptoms, and so athletes may encounter skepticism or pressure to downplay their symptoms due to the invisible nature of the injury. This societal stigma can greatly impact an athlete's willingness to report incidents, potentially compromising their long-term well-being. This is why one of the goals of concussion training is to create an environment where athletes feel supported and empowered to prioritize their health without fear of judgment.
In the US, several shocking high-profile crimes and tragic suicides by former pro-athletes in the late 90s and early 2000s, combined with increased scientific research news about the long-term consequences of repeated concussions pushed the need for change into the national spotlight.
The Lystedt Law in Washington provided a blueprint for other states to follow suit. As of 2022, all 50 states and the District of Columbia have passed laws related to youth sports concussion safety.
These laws typically require young athletes, coaches, and sometimes even parents to receive education about concussions. Sports team leaders and administrators are usually the party responsible for ensuring full compliance for their entire team, league or camp.
The Development of Concussion Training Programs
It's now well understood that concussions can cause significant damage and there must be a focus on prevention as well as immediate intervention when a concussion is suspected to have occurred. And the risk exists not only in traditional high-impact sports such as hockey and football; almost every physical activity carries the risk of a concussion, from low-impact sports like soccer and volley-ball, to individual activities like rock-climbing, gymnastics, and track & field.
The cornerstone of modern concussion training is empathy and education. The goal is to equip coaches, athletes, and parents with:
1. The knowledge about recognizing the signs of a concussion, the importance of proper evaluation, and the significance of taking recovery seriously.
2. The skills needed to respond to concussion incidents immediately, on the field, the court, the gym, or wherever the need arises.
Organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), and others have developed comprehensive training courses. These courses cover topics such as concussion signs and symptoms, proper management, and the critical step-by-step process for a safe return to play.
Most of these organizations offer certification once the training is completed, which should be renewed at least twice a year. Check to see if your state's concussion training laws require more frequent renewal.
The CDC's Heads Up Training Program offers an incredibly thorough suite of training materials tailored specifically to recognize a concussion, evaluate the severity, and administer or facility the appropriate treatment response as quickly as possible.
With regards to youth sports specifically, the CDC takes the stance all adults, including parents, coaches, trainers and schools all have a critical role to play in preventing concussions.
In Summary...
The evolution of concussion training protocols highlights the transformative journey from a time when head injuries were often completely dismissed to today's comprehensive awareness and education initiatives. The tragic story of Zackery Lystedt underscored the critical need for proper concussion management, leading to groundbreaking legislation and a nationwide movement towards youth sports safety.
As we reflect on this journey, it's crucial to recognize the ongoing importance of concussion training in fostering an environment where the health and safety of athletes is a priority.
If you're implementing concussion training and certification for your organization, consider a paperwork automation tool such as The Ankored Platform. Assign trainings to your staff or volunteers, track their progress and view their completion status all from one simple-to-use dashboard.
