On Wednesday the NFL announced strict new return-to-play policies for players suffering from concussions. Safety advocates hope that the change in attitude at the professional level will influence policies and protocols at the youth level. Changes to the tough guy, or “team first,” attitudes at the youth level, however, may take a bit longer, according to an article in today’s New York Times:
Sitting outside their locker room Thursday, linebacker-fullback Wade Minshew and defensive end Kuresa Moaliitele both said they would not tell anyone if they sustained a concussion during Friday’s big state playoff game …”It’s our mentality toward football — you put the team first,” Minshew said. Moaliitele added: “I’d keep playing. It’s the dedication I have to the team.”
Just then their coach, Myron Miller, walked in. Informed of his players’ comments, he calmly explained that he would do the same if he was 16.
“That doesn’t surprise me,” Miller said. “They shouldn’t do it, I’ve told them not to do it, but it takes a lot of maturity to put your health ahead of the team. If I was playing in the game tomorrow night and got a concussion, I don’t think I’d tell anyone either. I’m not a hypocrite.”
Viewed in light of Pittsburgh Steeler Hines Ward’s comments about the decision to have teammate Ben Roethlisberger sit out a game with concussion-like symptoms:
"...it's almost like a 50-50 toss-up in the locker room: Should he play? Shouldn't he play? It's really hard to say. I've been out there dinged up. The following week, got right back out there. Ben practiced all week."
Perhaps a change in attitude at ALL levels in the game will be a long time coming.
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