National youth sports concussion testing campaign comes to Lake Oswego
View full sizeAndrew Carcamo, 13, of Lake Oswego, takes a concussion evaluation test called ImPACT (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing) at Dick’s Sporting Goods in Lake Oswego. The testing is part of a national campaign sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods to bring concussion awareness to youth sport participants.LAKE OSWEGO — Eleven-year-old Paul Smith can’t spell the word “concussion”, but his grandpa hopes the youngster never suffers one.
Bill Youngson admits that it was actually his wife who pushed him to take Smith to Dick’s Sporting Goods in Lake Oswego to take a concussion evaluation test on Thursday. But he was willing to make the trip, especially if it meant not dashing his grandson’s dreams of playing wide receiver in the Lake Oswego Youth Football League this year.
“We all gotta do what we can to protect the little ones,” said Youngson, 65, of Lake Oswego.
Smith was one of about 75 youths in Lake Oswego who took a computerized test called ImPACT (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing), which assesses memory, processing speed and reaction time in order to diagnose post-concessive symptoms.
A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury caused by a heavy blow to the head or body. It can sometimes cause temporary unconsciousness. Symptoms include nausea, blurred vision, headaches and memory-related issues.
The ImPACT test is typically conducted before the start of a sports season. If a player displays concussion-like symptoms after the initial test, then a follow-up test is done to see if the results have changed from the baseline evaluation. The differences in the two test results are meant to help catch and treat possible cases of concussions earlier, said OHSU associate professor Dr. Charles Webb.
According to testing officials, ImPACT is used by more than 3,500 high schools across the country and about 3.8 million recreation and sports-related concussions occur each year in the U.S.
“The goal is to not return athletes back to play too soon,” said Webb. “We know that each concussion carries a two-to three-fold increase of having the next concussion. With that in mind, we only want these athletes to get back to their sport as safely as possible.”
View full sizeNFL hall of famer and former University of Oregon quarterback Dan Fouts makes an appearance at a Dick’s Sporting Goods in Lake Oswego for youth concussion evaluation testing. The test, called ImPACT (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing), is part of a national campaign sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods to bring concussion awareness to youth sport participants.The testing on Thursday is part of PACE, or Protecting Athletes through Concussion Education, a national campaign sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods aimed to help raise awareness of concussions among youth athletes, their parents and coaches. The sporting goods retailer chain has sponsored ImPACT testing and appearances by current and former pro athletes with concussion experience in stores across the country through the month of August.
In Lake Oswego, NFL hall of famer Dan Fouts, who played quarterback at the University of Oregon and spent 14 years with San Diego Chargers, made an appearance.
Lake Oswego was the only stop on the West Coast for PACE in its inaugural year. The initiative has already rolled through Dick’s Sporting Goods in the New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Dallas, Minneapolis, Chicago and Washington D.C., areas. One of the program’s objectives is to test at least one million young athletes across the country, said Dick’s Sporting Goods spokesman Billy Burkhalter. Almost 760,000 athletes have been tested so far.
“Lake Oswego has a particularly large concentration of youth sports programs and Portland is a hot market,” said Burkhalter. “Most importantly, this is just a good opportunity to keep these kids safe while they play.”
Burkhalter said the company has not disclosed how much money is being put into the campaign, but added that they have pledged to donate up to $1 million to ImPACT.
The line for ImPACT testing and autographs was littered with students from the Lakeridge High School football team. Head coach Tom Smythe said he uses the word “mandatory” with his players once a decade, and this was one of those times. Stances on concussions in high school football have changed a lot since the past, he added.
View full sizePaul Smith, 11, of Lake Oswego, waits his turn to take a concussion evaluation test called ImPACT (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing) at Dick’s Sporting Goods in Lake Oswego. The testing is part of a national campaign sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods to bring concussion awareness to youth sport participants.“When I started coaching about 50 years ago, it would be common to say ‘toughen up, kid, and stay away from the water,’” said Smythe. “Thankfully, times have changed.”
He said Lakeridge and Lake Oswego High School have implemented the ImPACT testing program for the last two years and that students aren’t allowed to take the field without taking the test.
Sherry Carcamo, who attended the event with her son, Andrew, 13, said she’s seen first-hand the effects of a concussion. A family friend suffered a concussion two years ago while playing volleyball and is still suffering from side-effects. Carcamo said her son’s desire to play football is still an idea she’s getting comfortable with.
“Football is a bit rougher than volleyball, so yes, concussions make me nervous,” said Caramo. “But I know tests like this will keep my son safe in the long run.”
– Everton Bailey Jr.
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