From a wide variety of sports, concussions are one of the most harmful but also scarily common injuries. Not only does it affect your ability to participate in sports and on the field but your everyday life as well, especially concentration and school work. According to the CDC, a mild Traumatic brain injury (TBI) diagnosis, also known as a concussion, is “a bump, blow, or jolt to the head that disrupts the normal function of the brain.” Additionally, an average of 2.5 million high schoolers are concussed while playing sports or being physically active. 

If concussions still don’t sound bad yet, hearing these stories from students who have personally suffered concussions will surely change your mind. Sophomore Boden Strafelda plays both hockey and baseball, although both sports require quick, powerful movements, hockey, being the more contact and physical sport, had gotten him two concussion while baseball- none. 

Strafelda said, “Both times it was in hockey and I got hit by someone into the boards and my head hit it too. I was super tired, with a lot of headaches and bad ones. I was also very foggy and it was hard to do many things like think in class. It affected me for a week because I still played not knowing I had it. It was hard to work because I was constantly tired. It also affected my school work, because I had to be put on a special plan and missed classes.”

Sophomore Sarah Oppenheim has also suffered from a few concussions thought the years. To be more specific- five in the past four years.

Oppenheim said, “The first one was in seventh grade because I got knocked unconscious on a roller coaster at valley fair. Specifically the corkscrew I think. Yah, I leaned forward to look at my friend and I got slammed back into the bar. The second one I got was during club soccer last year. Ben from school headed a ball into my head during futsal. And then the third one was like a month later during soccer. I went back to play too soon cause I wanted to play in the tournament and someone was clearing a ball and I was like five feet away from her and it went straight into my face. Also, I had to stop playing sports for six months after that one. I’ve had a few minor concussions too that I never went to the doctors for. Overall my symptoms for them [concussions] are headaches, dizziness, light sensitivity, sound sensitivity…oh, and forgetting things.”

Even after suffering from so many concussions, Oppenheim doesn’t let them get in the way of playing sports.

“I’m kind of impulsive,” said Oppenheim. 

Besides the students, the school also takes concussions very seriously. Every two years, students who participate in school sports and athletics are required to take a long and low key tedious concussion test. Although boring at the moment, if worst comes to worst, this test can be a helpful factor in determining if you have a concussion or not. 

It is extremely important to be careful and properly equipped while participating in any physical activity. Although being careful won’t prevent all concussions, it will definitely lower the chances of getting one. Make sure that if any signs or symptoms of a concussion appear, consult an adult and ask for help from a train medical personnel. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.

Below is a quick quiz on fun facts about concussions.