White House Raises Awareness for Head Injuries in Youth Sports

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On Thursday May 29, President Obama held a meeting in front of sports medicine experts, coaches, doctors, athletes and concerned parents to raise awareness for head injuries in youth sports.

While greater awareness and better protective gear have resulted in a decline in head injuries among youth athletes over the past 10 years, it remains a top concern among parents. The possibility of head injuries often discourages parents from enrolling their children in sports.

“I know parents across the country are making decisions about whether or not they want their kids to play football or soccer or other sports–hockey, lacrosse–in which concussions can happen. This is the perfect opportunity for the White House and the president to bring people together, convene people, focus a spotlight on an issue that really is a topic of conversation around the country ,” said White House spokesman Jay Carney.

During the White House's summit, President Obama stressed the need for further research on head injuries and safety equipment. “ We've got to have better research, better data, better safety equipment, better protocols ,” he said.

More than 250,000 youth athletes are admitted to hospital emergency rooms for head injuries each year. Concussion, which occur when a forceful blow presses the brain against the skull, is the most common type of head injury in youth sports. The NCAA and the U.S. Defense Department have pledged $30 million to research the short-term and long-term effects of concussions and how to treat them. This is expected to be the largest and most comprehensive study ever conducted on concussions.

The NFL has also agreed to donate $25 million over the next three years to raise awareness for head injuries in youth sports and promote better safety. Of course, this comes less than a month after the NFL agreed to pay a $765 million settlement over a class-action lawsuit from thousands of former players who claim the league did not do enough to protect them from head injuries.

Obama praised these organizations and several others for contributing to the head injury research/prevention programs. He noted that research on head injuries such as concussions will also prove beneficial for military service men and women who could suffer similar injuries in the line of duty.

Neither the White House nor the President has the authority to force youth sports organizations to implement new practices and/or techniques to protect against head injuries. However, they can raise awareness to the issue and praise companies and organizations that take steps to reduce head injuries.

For full details on the White House's campaign to raise awareness for head injuries in youth sports, see the official press release published at WhiteHouse.gov.