November 24, 2011 Dirk Knudsen WashingtonPreps.com Editor Talk about it in The Grid Iron Dirk Knudsen; Washingtonpreps.com Today before you feast and enjoy the family and friends your with I want you to do me a favor. Before you watch your favorite team go to war I want you to do something you may have never ever done but I promise it won't hurt. I want you to say a little pray for the fallen. The young boys who have given their lives in pursuit of a game that we Americans just can not get enough of. And I want you to say a prayer for the guys your watching out on that field. Because some of them are killing themselves right now so you can enjoy your day. Many of the players you watch have had or will have both short and long term disability from the game they are playing. Some of them will die of complications from CTE which is a newly confirmed brain disease caused by the game of football. Now … [Read more...]
Brain Champions Team 7:15 Makes Big Impact
ALOHA, Ore. - About 150 high school football players looking to make that next big step to college ball took to the field during a Friday night football camp, but they were also reminded about the danger of concussions from a man who barely survived permanent brain damage. Max Conradt spoke to the players about what could happen if concussions aren't taken seriously. His story is a reality check for players who think they're invincible, but the reality is students die from concussions. School districts around Oregon and Washington are taking steps to take the injury more seriously, but Conradt says high school players need to do the same. Some of those high school players at the camp were 14 years old while others were a few years older. Many have dreams of college scholarships, national championships and even the NFL. While watching them practice, Conradt remembers his time as a football player. "I was MVP quarterback and defensive end," he says. Ten years ago he was … [Read more...]
Sally Showman’s Coverage of BrainChampions Families An Emmy Winner
KXLY TV Reporter Sally Showman was the first person to report on the tragic death of Drew Swank and the death of Dylan Steigers. Her compassionate work came out as one of the best evening news pieces done on the subject. Both of these young men's families are in our founding group. Now word comes that Sally has won an EMMY for one of her stories about Drew Swank. Sally is a special reporter and deserves the Emmy as this work was very moving. You all should watch it... and consider Drew and his death from a football injury as well as the Impact his organ donation had on the lives of so many. Here is the award winning work by Sally! … [Read more...]
Football’s Survivors Can Not Be Stopped
June 9, 2011 Dirk Knudsen WashingtonPreps.com Editor Dirk Knudsen; Washingtonpreps.com Randy Newman with his son Matthew Celebrate life at a Seahawks Game 1 1/2 years after Newman nearly lost his life This week two very special young men will graduate from their respective High Schools in Washington State. Albeit both of them are late in doing so and not the same young men that they were when they started out. Thye are much stronger then anyone could have ever dreamed. It will be with a full heart that those paying attention will witness Zackery Lystedt and Matthew Newman cross the podium to receive their diploma tomorrow. For Lystedt he will graduate after 5 grueling years of dealing with the damage left in the wake of a severe brain injury he received as a youth football player in the Tahoma school district. But he will make it and if all goes … [Read more...]
Tracy Yatsko Joins BrainChampions In Girls Concussion Effort
We are so pleased that we added a new member to our growing family of founders who have been personally hurt and forever changed as a result of concussion and traumatic brain injury they suffered while pursuing their sport. Tracy will be working with our Director Dirk Knudsen to develop a hard hitting educational program for Girls in Youth Sports; a press release is coming soon. For now it is enough to know that this is the First project of its kind and will be a terrific and much needed effort. Here is Tracy in one of the best 2 Minute films on Concussion that you will ever see. Listen to her story here. … [Read more...]