In many of my conversations, both on the road recruiting and among other colleagues at the college level, I continue to hear a disturbing trend regarding what those in our profession are challenged to deal with in the midst of this concussion problem. It’s hard to not feel frustrated upon hearing people describe the game of football itself as being “under fire” because of recent growing concerns regarding brain injuries. There’s no denying that this subject is an extremely important one that demands our attention and respect. With that being said, there are some points being overlooked in the conversation that are worthy of consideration.
There has emerged a very common misconception which equates the recent increase in knowledge regarding concussions to the emergence of some kind of “epidemic,” another ridiculous word I hear quite often which describes a circumstantial injury as though it’s a contagious disease. I think it’s important to point out that the glaring flaw in this logic is the fact that the reason concussions are such a major focus now (more so than in the past) is because we have so much more knowledge about the injury, and not the other way around. We don’t know that concussions are more numerous or more severe now than in the past, but we are getting better at identifying and reporting them. Furthermore, the same knowledge that helps us identify and report concussions has also made us better at preventing and treating them. I’m pointing this out in the hopes to dispel the trending perception that the concussion “epidemic” is going to get worse before it gets better. Quite frankly, that whole idea just doesn’t make any sense.
This is not a point that’s designed to lessen concerns over concussions or suggest that the issue is not as serious as it’s being treated. On the contrary, it is our obligation as coaches to continue to learn more and make it a priority to comply with regulations so that our players have a safe and positive experience. That’s why we’re in this profession in the first place, and protecting our players is priority one. That being said, I think we also have a responsibility to protect our sport from the detractors who aim to paint football as an exercise in brutality and violence. These voices are getting better equipped, using the perceived crisis to strengthen their stance and putting their stance in well-written articles, some of which can be found in major publications. I’ve already read multiple articles since the start of the New Year, online and in print, which project the same ill-conceived message: that football is “dying out” because it’s too violent for its own good. I must admit that the people who are spreading this message are showing a lot of ingenuity; that is, suggesting that football is killing itself as they work tirelessly to kill it. It’s ingenious.
But there’s a lighter side to this whole argument, and it lies in our ability as coaches to recognize all the resources available that we can use to defend our sport, and most importantly, protect our players. Concussions are a hot-button issue and will continue to be, but our knowledge of the injury will continue to grow as well. We hear terrible stories from the past of players who played when they shouldn’t be playing and suffered dire consequences later in life. While there’s no diminishing the tragedy of these stories, the common trend that permeates them is the fact that more knowledge and better procedures to identify and treat head injuries might have had a profound impact on the outcome. That is what we must use to protect our players and our sport.
The frequency and severity of concussions in football is a problem, but it’s not a growing problem. What’s growing is awareness. Rules are changing to make the game safer for players, which is likely a trend that will continue as our education continues to grow. Officials, coaches and training staff are being educated on warning signs for concussions and how best to deal with them. Coaches are strengthening their emphasis on proper blocking and tackling techniques to minimize the risk of head injuries to players. Players are being taught the importance of reporting symptoms and are made to undergo stricter progressions before returning to the field from a head injury. Those are just a few examples of things that have changed for the better recently, and there will be many more to come. From youth football all the way up to the highest level of professional play, people are working toward making the game safer for participants, yet somehow no one seems to be talking about it. People would rather point out horror stories from the nineties about players being pressured to “tough it out” or “walk it off” and forced to play when they shouldn’t be playing. While the reality of those stories is a disturbing one, it shouldn’t distract from the fact that much of what we hear regarding the mistreatment of head injuries in the past can be boiled down to ignorance. We know more than we did then, and we will continue to learn and adapt. That’s what football coaches do, because we love our players and we love our game. We shouldn’t be afraid to fight back against people who don’t understand our profession, but speak loudly to demean it.
Football’s popularity in this country exists for reasons that are far deeper than the intensity and action provided by the sport. It’s a game that challenges players mentally and physically. It teaches them life lessons about overcoming adversity, surpassing limitations, and committing to something greater than themselves as individuals. It emphasizes and enhances qualities such as respect, loyalty, dedication and compassion. Most people that are connected with the sport understand this be to true. Most coaches are committed to upholding these standards and making every player’s experience a positive and meaningful one. It’s important to keep that in mind as we work to make the game safer for our players, while also protecting the game we love from alarmist and uninformed voices. It’s a great game that means a lot to a lot of people. The responsibility we have to protect it should not be taken lightly.