"concussions: are they fatal?"

When I was in eighth grade, I was always getting hurt with broken fingers and I also received two concussions. Then in ninth grade, I had received three concussions. With my most recent concussion, I forgot all my “plays” and I was not able to remember anything before the game. All I could remember was that the time left in the game was 4:16, and the score was 21-0. My coach doubted me and put me back in. While I was in, I was not able to do my “job”; I was letting blocks in, always forgetting my plays, and asking where I go and what do I do. Later, after my coach had pulled me out from the game he took a look at my eyes and was shocked to find out that he was almost positive that I had a concussion and had me out. I was out for the rest of the game, and I was lying on the bench. After, the game was over and my mom picked me up we rushed to the hospital and had my brain checked out with a CAT scan. When, the doctor came back with the results he told me and my mom that I had a concussion from a “kill shot, blind side or a big hit”. I was not able to play the rest of the year.

In my initial research, the Oxford Journal reported the background information of different concussions (Concussions; Hugo Theret). According, to the Oxford Journals anyone that had ever been diagnosed with a concussion usually has after effects of depression and suicidal thoughts. It has also stated that anyone with a concussion is 7 times more likely to get over frustrated with people, and to try to retaliate in deadly manner. It has been said that if you were to have a concussion you must pass out first. This is not always the case because I myself have had a concussion without passing out. It also states that approximately six percent of people that have had concussions have either died in their sleep from over swelling of the brain or have tried to kill themselves because they were not able to handle the pain anymore and just tried to stop the pain. It may not seem like a lot of people, but when approximately 63,000 people get concussions a year it is a very high amount of sports players that die each year.

I would like to explore concussions and its effects more thoroughly through research.

People don’t understand how the after effects of a concussion lead to murder or suicide.

People should be more educated about concussions. I have had multiple concussions I know what it is like to be brain dead. My research will be discovering both how concussions cause murder and suicide and also how everyone in the community feels about concussion.

concussion poem

                                           

Running down the field crack! All of a sudden I get hit

I knew of his anger and felt his spit

I felt the thumping of my brain

And I almost couldn’t explain the pain

 

Laying on the ground feeling all so lonely and worry

But I have so much anger and can’t show my furry

 Feelings of the pain just want to die

Just want to show you’re a man and not cry

 

As I lay in a sweat puddle

I think about how I just came out of the huddle

All of the coaches running out

Everyone else cries out a shout

 

The coaches ask me if I am ok

And I respond in a stumbled way

“You’re the ones that forced me to play”

Now that I see that my life may sway

 

As they ripped my pads off

I thought to myself “is my brain soft”

As I fade in and out I stay move less and speak

“Someone kill me just stab me above my cheek”

Last thing I heard from the stand ‘the mighty man might die”

“So I tell you hold your tears and don’t cry”

Next thing I know

I wake up like a mummy and see the hospitals glow

 

As I fade in and out one more time

I tell my coaches the other player committed a crime

As I woke up, and stayed up in my hospital bed

Everyone reminded me of what haters said

 

“Some people tell me what a shame

They say my concussions made me lame

For that I can not contain

To tell them mine is as good as you brain”

 

Research memo

Hypothesis

Are concussions a problem in football today? Some people say it isn’t, but I beg to differ especially now with the lack of excellent equipment. I believe the school is at fault, (the attacker in this case) should be at blame. Many people state their opinion and say that “there is a concussion proof helmet”. I say different Students perform at higher levels to compete with other athletes for their schools athletic events however it seems as if their efforts are sometimes not appreciated. Many students suffer from concussions due to high impact blows to the head mainly because of unreliable sporting equipment.

 

Context:

            While gathering my information, my target group was people from the ages of 15- 40 and I tried to get a balanced amount of male and female opinions on my topic because I wanted to get different views. I had also wanted about ½ of the people to be football lovers and the other amount to not know anything about it. I think that the information that I gathered was valid because it was a mixture of people. I have surveyed a total of 30 people. 15 of each gender.

Questions	Common answers	Male : Female
What role do you play in football? Player, coach, fan, parent, ex-player, none	None player coach fan	2:8 5:0 5:0 3:7
What do you or have you played for? Pe-we, middle school, high school, college, semi pro, pro, none	None High school College pro	5:15 6:0 3:0 1:0
You are an active player/coach/fan/parent/ of football true, false	True False	12:10 3:5
Are you male or female?	Male female	15:0 0:15
Do You think concussions are a problem in football? Yes, no	Yes no	15:14 0:1
Which needs the most attention Concussions, penalty for causing concussions, returning to soon from concussion injury’s	Concussions Penalty for causing Returning to soon	11:9 4:1 0:5
Who should be fined or suspend in the act of a concussion? Player that caused, coaching staff, athletic staff, no one	Player Coaching Athletic No one	2:1 2:0 0:0 11:14
Should plays such as kickoff be banned? Yes, no	Yes No	0:0 15:15
In your own words how has a concussion changed your life or someone’s life you know?	I have had many concussions and it is now harder to remember things I have never experience one	11:1     4:14
In your own words describe a concussion proof helmet, if there is one?	There isn’t one   Ones that have softer insides	10:0   5:15

 

               

 

*Data Analysis:

After analyzing my data I have found that males think concussions are more important than the other choices (the penalty for causing a concussion and the return to soon for concussion injuries). I believe this is because males tend to watch more sports than females, also I believe this is because a lot of males have had concussions because many of the males that took my survey said they had experienced a concussion before. I had more males answer the question more correctly for my hypothesis than the females. I think the females answered how they answered because a lot of women are protective and they would think that returning to soon would be more important than concussions its self (The second most answered choice). The most common trend that I found in my data was that most of the respondents believed that this topic  is a problem all over the United States because statistics show that the rate of concussions due to sports has increased. I think that the drive to compete and win can cause children and adolescents to become injured (any head injuries). The main focus for students' safety has been pointed primarily at high school students. Many people shy away from the younger students because they don't feel that they are much to worry about. But recently there has been a huge increase in concussions to younger children.

 

Due to my lack of information from my respondents, I wasn’t able to get as accurate survey answers because I left out some key questions. The main questions that I left out were I feel that if I included these questions in my survey then the information that I received from the respondents would have been more accurate/ to the point. I would have had a better conclusion about the different views that various people have towards my topic. I believe that if I would have put the more specific questions in my conclusion would be more to the point and informing.

 

*Conclusion:

Reflecting back to my hypothesis. I was correct about concussions being a serious thing in football today but because of the lack of suspensions and fines for causing a concussion concussions will “live on” if the NHSFL (national high school football league) would put forth more effort to rules. Maybe players can play without fear of getting a concussion.

 

Follow up:

 From this point I want to go in deeper to this research  and show the community’s and community’s to come the different disasters that sports related injuries can cause; and how important it is to be monitored for concussions and injuries of that nature to the head because these injuries are being found more often in a younger generation. My most essential research question that should be researched is “Should new sports equipment be bought every few years to help ensure the safety of students.”  From all of my research I don’t plan to change my research topic. But I have thought about doing so because it is hard for me to find strong points in my research.