Owen Thomas had an A-type personality, a vibrant smile, and a bull of a body with fiery red hair. He was an extremely hard-working student and athlete. Not many students knew that Owen was one of the brightest kids in the class with a 4.0 GPA (only told when his friends asked). He was a kind soul in the classroom, but a mythical beast on the football field. He graduated high school with a great reputation but started off college at the University of Pennsylvania with an even better one. Owen was chosen team captain and led the team to an Ivy League Championship. Owen accomplished seventeen straight wins at Parkland High School, the Ivy League Championship ring, trophies, amazed fans, community pride, and so much more. Sadly, it all came with
…show more content…
The physical symptoms of a concussion include the inability to concentrate, forgetfulness, headache, fatigue, dizziness, and throwing up (“Concussion in Sports”). The athlete usually goes to a doctor if these symptoms occur. The doctor then has the athlete take an assessment evaluating the cognitive ability of the the brain after the accident. “Neuropsychological tests are designed to measure cognitive skills and abilities such as intelligence, problem solving, memory, concentration, impulse control, and reaction time, to name a few” (“Concussion Facts”). Along with the neuropsychological tests, the doctor might take some images, CT scans or an MRI, to see if there is any internal bleeding or fractures inside the skull (“Concussion Facts”). There are a lot of factors to consider with the severity of a …show more content…
In football, helmet to helmet contact is not allowed anymore. As for the other sports, there is not much being done. However, there are athletes that are trying to change that. A cheerleader, Shelby, got a concussion while attempting a double fullback stunt. Her rough landing after that stunt caused her first concussion. After four weeks off, Shelby went back to the sport she loved. She received her second concussion not long after she came back. The second concussion was far worse than the first one. She experienced memory loss, depression, and anxiety that affected her whole life. Today, Shelby is changing the sport for the better as a cheerleading coach. In school cheer (after Shelby spoke up about the dangers of stunts), stunts that are intense are not allowed. Shelby said, “I want them to understand that a concussion can affect your whole life” (“Shelby’s Story”). Shelby, along with others, is speaking out about the dangers of a concussion and wants to help minimize the risk or number of concussions as much as
The physical symptoms of a concussion include the inability to concentrate, forgetfulness, headache, fatigue, dizziness, and throwing up (“Concussion in Sports”). The athlete usually goes to a doctor if these symptoms occur. The doctor then has the athlete take an assessment evaluating the cognitive ability of the the brain after the accident. “Neuropsychological tests are designed to measure cognitive skills and abilities such as intelligence, problem solving, memory, concentration, impulse control, and reaction time, to name a few” (“Concussion Facts”). Along with the neuropsychological tests, the doctor might take some images, CT scans or an MRI, to see if there is any internal bleeding or fractures inside the skull (“Concussion Facts”). There are a lot of factors to consider with the severity of a …show more content…
In football, helmet to helmet contact is not allowed anymore. As for the other sports, there is not much being done. However, there are athletes that are trying to change that. A cheerleader, Shelby, got a concussion while attempting a double fullback stunt. Her rough landing after that stunt caused her first concussion. After four weeks off, Shelby went back to the sport she loved. She received her second concussion not long after she came back. The second concussion was far worse than the first one. She experienced memory loss, depression, and anxiety that affected her whole life. Today, Shelby is changing the sport for the better as a cheerleading coach. In school cheer (after Shelby spoke up about the dangers of stunts), stunts that are intense are not allowed. Shelby said, “I want them to understand that a concussion can affect your whole life” (“Shelby’s Story”). Shelby, along with others, is speaking out about the dangers of a concussion and wants to help minimize the risk or number of concussions as much as