Many times, in the heat of the moment athletes do not want to have a head injury checked out, for fear of being taken out of their sport. The amount of games or meets missed, however, is hardly significant compared to the detrimental affect a concussion can have on an athlete’s health.

All athletes are required by the Minnesota State High School League to take a pre-season brain test to use as a baseline if an athlete gets a head injury. Even though this test is required, a few student athletes said they were not asked to take the pre-season assessment.
The athletic department needs to ensure all sports teams are taking this test.
A mid season test should also be mandatory to ensure that no head injury goes unnoticed.
While the athletic department should enforce taking these tests, athletes must be accountable for their personal health.
If athletes are not given the test, they should tell their coach or another athletic official to administer the test. If there is no athletic accountability of the athlete taking the test, they should not be allowed to compete in their sport.
In addition, a health class unit should be dedicated to concussion information and awareness. Every students goes through this curriculum, so it would ensure that everyone knows the dangers of this trauma.
Even students that do not participate in athletics should have an understanding of concussion safety, in case they need to monitor a friends health.
Untreated concussions have been linked to Alzheimer’s disease and symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease. To take control of their health, students must focus on the future and not make decisions based solely on their current athletic goals.
If a student gets a head injury during a game or practice, he or she must take it upon themselves to stay on the sidelines and monitor their physical symptoms. An athlete should pay attention to their level of consciousness and their amount of pain.
Concussion symptoms can take up to 24 hours to surface, so players should sit out immediately after an injury regardless of whether symptoms immediately present themselves. Refusing to see a health professional or take a follow up concussion test will only prolong the effects of the injury.
Waiting for the season to end is not worth the life-long health issues for students.