What+are+high+schools+doing+to+prevent+future+student+athletes+from+becoming+concussed?

Sharon Wong, et al. "Evaluation Of The Centers For Disease Control And Prevention's Concussion Initiative For High School Coaches: “Heads Up: Concussion In High School Sports”." Journal Of School Health 80.3 (2010): 112-118. Education Full Text (H.W. Wilson). Web. 4 Dec. 2012.

 In an attempt to reduce the number of sports-related concussions in high school athletes, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, with the help of experts in the field, administered a tool kit to eligible high school coaches to help inform them of the dangers of concussions and certain prevention and management techniques. The study found that although concussion prevention can be extremely difficult, the overall number can be reduced with the proper understanding of how to approach them, as well as prevent concussions by establishing a safer, more knowledgeable environment which starts with an informed coaching staff.

Neumann, Lindsey. "Raising Awareness Of The Severity Of Concussions." Sport Journal 14.(2011): Education Full Text (H.W. Wilson). Web. 4 Dec. 2012.

 This article examines the fact that concussions are being examined and studied at high levels in both pro and college sports, but there have not been many implementations at the high school level to prevent concussions in sport. According to USA Today, only Texas, Oregon, and Washington have enacted practices that mandate how players who sustain concussions are treated since 2007. Oregon and Texas both require concussed players to be removed completely from the field of play, while Washington still leaves the decision of when players return in the coach’s hands. The article was basically stating that although some states have taken action to reduce the number of concussions in high school sports, a lot more needs to be done to protect the athletes who are putting their bodies on the line for their schools.

Barton, Lindsay. "Youth Sports Concussion Safety Laws: North Carolina." MomsTeam. N.p., 02 Jan. 2012. Web. 09 Dec. 2012. .

In 2008, the deaths of two high school football players due to traumatic brain injuries caused by concussions changed how the state of North Carolina would assess and try to prevent concussions forever. After Jaquan Waller, 16, and Matthew Gfeller, 15, died just days apart after suffering concussions on the field of play, concerned parents, coaches, and even lawmakers new changes had to be made. Matthew Gfeller died after suffering a severe concussion during a game, and Jaquan Waller passed away from second impact syndrome, as he was concussed during practice but played in a game just days later, where he suffered a fatal blow to the head. The combined deaths of the two players in the same week caused new North Carolina legislation to be enacted, as the Gfeller-Waller Concussion Awareness Act was signed into law on June 16, 2011. This article touched on a very interesting point- football is a game of hitting, and it wasn't until research on both the short and long term affects of concussions surfaced that people began calling for change. There is no doubt measures can be put in place to prevent concussions, but in a sport as violent as football where dangerous contact is inevitable, concussions are going to happen. The best we can do is educate the next generation of football players of the severity of concussions, and what steps can be taken to try and avoid them.

D orsey, Patrick. "Helmet Tech Aimed at Concussions." ESPN.com. N.p., 01 Sept. 2009. Web. 09 Dec. 2012. .

This article examined the various new technologies that companies are implementing in the production of new football helmets. This article also touched on the fact that although these new helmets are much safer and reduce impact and trauma to the head, most of them are too expensive for schools to equip their football teams, as the top of the line Xenith X1 comes with a $350 price tag. This article reinforced the idea that no matter how much the technology surrounding equipment develops, the best way to ward off concussions is teaching aspects of the game such a tackling properly, so the "technique does not allow itself to have concussions."

Trotta, Daniel, and Jo Ingles. "High School Football Saving Brains as Game Goes On." Reuters. Thomson Reuters, 20 Sept. 2012. Web. 09 Dec. 2012. .

This article gave a history of concussions and brain injuries that occurred since the game of football has been played in America, dating back to the late nineteenth century where it wasn't uncommon for players to die on the playing field. Obviously the game has changed immensely since then with the development of newer, safer equipment, but the problem of concussions and traumatic brain injury is just as relevant today as it was over a hundred years ago. Going along with the themes of the other articles I researched, the author of this article pointed out that the end goal was to to eliminate concussions, but rather reduce the high levels by educating coaching staffs on how to properly manage concussed athletes.