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Zack could be anyone - your son, your brother, your cousin, your friend. Because of a football game - something that millions of kids do every year, he is unable to walk and is just learning to speak after 9 months. And Zack is not the only one who has experienced the lasting effects of concussions. Every year, an estimated 1.6 - 3.8 million kids suffer concussions from youth sport or recreation activities (Langlois 1). If a concussion is not treated or ignored, the consequences could be deadly. For this reason, the U.S. Soccer Association should take as many steps as possible to implement concussion protocol/laws as well as requisites for safety exercises and headgear, as long as these safety measures actually protect the players. Once these safety measures are passed, they must also be implemented effectively, and be widely accepted by players and coaches in order to truly keep all players safe. .
The U.S. Soccer Association should implement rules to prevent concussions as long as these rules and requirements keep players safe. Although manufacturers like Brain-Pad and some scientists like Delaney JS believe that implementing head gear and neck exercises will reduce concussions, the only way to really get rid of concussions is a combination of head gear, neck exercises, and elimination of headers at younger ages. Hard hits and headers are an epidemic in all ages of soccer, and safety should be of utmost importance. Researchers at Toronto's St. Michael's Hospital found that "almost 63% of high school level soccer players have suffered symptoms of concussions yet only about 19% realized it at the time" (Ubelacker 1). To combat concussions, supporters like Brain-Pad, a headgear manufacturing company, and Delaney JS, a researcher at McGill Sport Medicine Clinic say that implementing shock absorbent helmets and neck exercises will greatly reduce the risk of concussions at all ages of soccer.
