Second Impact Syndrome | BrainChampions.org

Hawaii Athletic Trainer Speaks Volumes About Concussion Protocols

October 24, 2012 By Dirk Knudsen Leave a Comment

Chelsea Qualey Athletic Trainer At Konawaena

A couple seasons back we were lucky enough to travel to the State of Hawaii and the gorgeous Island of Hawaii. While we were there we visited a few schools to look at their football teams and how they operate. And we found some great kids and coaches and watched some games too. During the course of one of the games we saw at Konawaena High School there was a really hard hit and a concussion. And there on that small little field in the most remote Islands on Earth we saw some of the very best response and follow up that we have ever seen. The incident at Konawaena was resolved quickly and effectively by a female athletic trainer and after the game we wanted to talk to her and get her perspectives about a Variety of issues that we are Championing at BrainChampions.org. We were very fortunate to sit down with Head Athletic Trainer Chelsea Qualey and dig in deep on issues effecting kids and school districts and we covered everything from legislation and best practices to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Concussion Rules and Laws, Concussions: Girls Sports, Education, Second Impact Syndrome Tagged With: CTE, Death and Football, football, Hawaii, Standards of Care, traumatic brain injury

16 Year Old Dies In New York After Football Head Trauma

October 19, 2011 By Dirk Knudsen 1 Comment

It has happened again. And again we pray. This time for the family and community where 16 year old Ridge Barden was a student Athlete. Where he suffered a tragic end due to a helmet to helmet blow. ________________________________________________________ Authorities say a 16-year-old high school football player who died after collapsing during a game suffered bleeding on his brain, apparently from a helmet-to-helmet collision. Cortland County Coroner Kevin Sharp says Ridge Barden died from a massive subdural hematoma, a traumatic brain injury. The lineman for John C. Birdlebough High School in the Oswego County village of Phoenix was hurt during Friday night's game at Homer High School, south of Syracuse. Authorities say he was able to sit up after the play but complained of a headache and collapsed when he tried to stand. Sharp says there's no evidence of any pre-existing injury or condition that contributed to Barden's death. He says the fatal injury was … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Education, Happening Now, Second Impact Syndrome Tagged With: Barden, concussion, Death, injury, Ridge

Brain Champions Team 7:15 Makes Big Impact

August 4, 2011 By Dirk Knudsen Leave a Comment

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...]

Filed Under: Concussion Rules and Laws, Education, Meet Our Founders, Second Impact Syndrome, Youth Football Tagged With: 7:15, brain, champions, concussion, conradt, Death, dirk, football, knudsen, konner, Matthew, max, Newman, Second Impact Syndrome, TBI, team

Football Injuries Top Trauma-Related Deaths Among Young Athletes

July 5, 2011 By Dirk Knudsen Leave a Comment

Head and Neck Injuries Cause Death on The Football Field

Another study has been released and to no surprise it finds alarming statistics when it comes to the injury and death of high school football players. BrainChampions.org was the first group to cry out for help some three years ago on the issue of Second Impact Syndrome related deaths and permanent impairments. Now in this study Dr. Barry Maron among others are linking these and other neck and head injuries to significant trends that show that more and more High School football players are playing in the Danger Zone. A key finding, author Dr. Barry Maron said in an interview, was a worrisome number of prep football players who died of head and neck blows after they had already sustained concussions a few days to four weeks beforehand. Maron said it comes at a time of growing awareness about concussions, including the dangers of “second-impact syndrome.” Story is here: … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Education, Research and Studies, Second Impact Syndrome Tagged With: brain, brain injury, concussion, Death, football, High School Football, Impact, Medical, NCAA, NFL, Second Impact Syndrome, traumatic brain injury, youth football

Sally Showman’s Coverage of BrainChampions Families An Emmy Winner

June 17, 2011 By Dirk Knudsen Leave a Comment

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...]

Filed Under: Meet Our Founders, Second Impact Syndrome Tagged With: concussion, Death, Donation, Drew, Emmy, football, Organ, Sally, Showman, Swank, TBI

Baseline Concussion Testing Questioned; But Who is Behind This

June 12, 2011 By Dirk Knudsen Leave a Comment

Recently a single article was published in one paper and then later picked up by USA Today. So of course we were interested in this. Being believers in the use of Neuro-Cognitive Baseline test as a vital and mandatory tool in the overall battle to stem concussion and TBI in youth sports we obviously are interested in anyone who has a valid point against their use. In a recent write up by Doctor Christopher Randolph of Loyola University he questions the validity of such tests and is most concerned about false negative reports. From http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/brain-and-behavior/articles/2011/06/11/validity-of-baseline-concussion-tests-questioned The tests, which are mandatory for hundreds of thousands of amateur and professional athletes in the United States, have a high "false negative" rate, according to Christopher Randolph, a neuropsychologist at Loyola University Health System. A false negative result means the test shows an athlete has … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Research and Studies, Second Impact Syndrome, Technology Tagged With: brain, christopher, concussion, Death, dimentia, football, Impact, injury, loyola, randolph, sports, traumatic

Football’s Survivors Can Not Be Stopped

June 10, 2011 By Dirk Knudsen Leave a Comment

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...]

Filed Under: Education, Meet Our Founders, Second Impact Syndrome, Youth Football Tagged With: Andrew, concussion, Death, Drew, football, Impact, injury, Lystedt, Matthew, Newman, Second, Swank, Syndrome, Zackery

Manning A Part Of The Problem: BrainChamps Calls Him Out

April 28, 2011 By Dirk Knudsen 4 Comments

Kort Breckenridge After his Life saving Craniectomy

Today's revelations by NFL Star QB Payton Manning indicate he knowingly lowballs the NFL concussion baseline test. He was smug and almost bragging in his statement. And he is too ignorant to know any better. Manning has been raised by a Football legend who often seemed to always put the Football Glory of his sons first over anything. Said Payton Manning: "They have these new (brain) tests we have to take. Before the season, you have to look at 20 pictures and turn the paper over and then try to draw those 20 pictures. And they do it with words, too. Twenty words, you flip it over, and try to write those 20 words. "Then, after a concussion, you take the same test and if you do worse than you did on the first test, you can't play. So I just try to do badly on the first test." (The Huddle)http://content.usatoday.com/communities/thehuddle/post/2011/04/peyton-manning-admits-to-tanking-nfls-baseline-concussion-test/1 That is the worst thing he could say. And he … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Concussion Rules and Laws, NFL Stuff, Second Impact Syndrome Tagged With: Baseline, brain champions, concussion, Kort Breckenridge, Law Suit, NFL, Payton Manning, Second Impact Syndrome, Testing

National Story on Drew Swank and the Dangers of Second Impact Syndrome

September 3, 2010 By Dirk Knudsen Leave a Comment

Spokane (Wash.) Valley Christian announced earlier this week it will not field a football team for the 2010 season, citing a lack of participation. The move comes a year after one of its players, Drew Swank, died from injuries sustained during multiple concussions. The school politely declined to comment on the situation, aside from issuing a statement on the cancelation. But the announcement came as a surprise to some in the community, including Patti Swank, Drew's mother. "This was a surprise to us," Patti Swank said. "We do not understand all the reasons, nor have we been told." Swank said the decision isn't one the family wanted. Drew's younger brother, Tim, would have been a freshman on this year's team and was looking forward to playing in his brother's memory at Valley Christian, Patti said. "They had talked about this day," she said of her sons. "Playing together was something that they had planned on. So Tim was planning to play and be there for the team and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Second Impact Syndrome Tagged With: concussions, Drew Swank, football, High School Football, Second Impact Syndrome

Second Impact is a Killer and If You Have Not Seen This You Need To

August 20, 2010 By Dirk Knudsen Leave a Comment

If you have never heard of Second Impact Syndrome you are not alone. This deadly killer is one of the worst things that can happen to anyone and yet is almost unknown by coaches players or parents. But it is deadly at least 50% of the time and it is becoming more common. This is an injury where the athlete is playing hurt with a concussion and is allowed to play; and often is downing pain killer and aspirin to be able to stand the pain to play hurt. This is more common then you think and it hit several of our families and kids. Drew Swank of Spokane, Washington had a concussion and was allowed to play hurt. He died 9 days after his first concussion from a second blow. And this could have and should have been prevented. It happened to David Bosse 13 years ago in Seattle and he died too. Before him it was Brandon Schultz in Anacortes, Washington. He survived but just barely. He will never be the same either. And these stories go on and on and on. Please. Slow Down. Watch This. You might … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Second Impact Syndrome Tagged With: Preston Plevretes, Second Impact Syndrome