Protective Head Gear

[Unregistered]

I don't believe anyone is saying, if a player wants to wear one, the can't. What people are upset with is the fact that a great deal of uninformed people are on here claiming that they prevent concussions. They don't prevent concussions. They prevent external head trauma, not internal. How are parents going to feel when they think they are doing the right thing, only to find out they had the wool pulled over their eyes by a corporation trying to peddle safety to parents?

I'm not sure I would go this far with the whole corporate conspiracy thing, but I hear your point. For me, it's just important that these tools don't give a false sense of security.

I referee HS and youth. In the 80 or so games I did this year, I've ejected a grand total of 3 coaches. Two of them were the exact same scenario. A player headed a ball and immediately exhibited signs of concussion (staggering, loss of focus, one didn't even know what his name was). But moments later, they were eager to return to play. I told the coaches the players had to sit, and could not come back in without a doctor's note (league rule, thank goodness). They both freaked out to the point that I had to eject the coaches. Many other refs (and most parents?) would have gone with the coach. They are the experts, after all, right?

On a disappointing note, I will add that, even though I put the players names in my game report, there is no mechanism to ensure that these kids were evaluated by a doctor before returning to play. Anyone care to bet?

[Unregistered]

I'm not sure I would go this far with the whole corporate conspiracy thing, but I hear your point. For me, it's just important that these tools don't give a false sense of security.

I referee HS and youth. In the 80 or so games I did this year, I've ejected a grand total of 3 coaches. Two of them were the exact same scenario. A player headed a ball and immediately exhibited signs of concussion (staggering, loss of focus, one didn't even know what his name was). But moments later, they were eager to return to play. I told the coaches the players had to sit, and could not come back in without a doctor's note (league rule, thank goodness). They both freaked out to the point that I had to eject the coaches. Many other refs (and most parents?) would have gone with the coach. They are the experts, after all, right?

On a disappointing note, I will add that, even though I put the players names in my game report, there is no mechanism to ensure that these kids were evaluated by a doctor before returning to play. Anyone care to bet?

All HS games are under this NFHS rule:
3-3-1c3: Any player who exhibits signs, symptoms or behaviors consistent with a concussion (such as loss of consciousness, headache, dizziness, confusion, or balance problems) shall be immediately removed from the contest and shall not return to play until cleared by an appropriate health-care professional.

Does your HS live up to that?
"cleared by an appropriate health-care professional"
Those are the people that carry malpractice insurance and live in fear of being sued.
They are VERY slow to clear athletes, especially youth.
If the letter of the law ever becomes the culture, headgear will be irrelevant.
Although, in a weird sort of lawyer thing, headgear might at the same time become MANDATORY. For the same reason. The "health-care professional[s]" will take every precaution they can (even meaningless ones) to protect themselves from lawsuit.

[Unregistered]

Where online do you buy good headgear for a keeper?

[Unregistered]

I'm not sure I would go this far with the whole corporate conspiracy thing, but I hear your point. For me, it's just important that these tools don't give a false sense of security.

I referee HS and youth. In the 80 or so games I did this year, I've ejected a grand total of 3 coaches. Two of them were the exact same scenario. A player headed a ball and immediately exhibited signs of concussion (staggering, loss of focus, one didn't even know what his name was). But moments later, they were eager to return to play. I told the coaches the players had to sit, and could not come back in without a doctor's note (league rule, thank goodness). They both freaked out to the point that I had to eject the coaches. Many other refs (and most parents?) would have gone with the coach. They are the experts, after all, right?

On a disappointing note, I will add that, even though I put the players names in my game report, there is no mechanism to ensure that these kids were evaluated by a doctor before returning to play. Anyone care to bet?

I don't believe anything in this post. In my 40 years of involvement with the game I have never seen a player sustain a concussion from heading a ball. Ever.

[Unregistered]

I don't believe anything in this post. In my 40 years of involvement with the game I have never seen a player sustain a concussion from heading a ball. Ever.

At what level?
I see it several times a year at youth and hs.
To be precise, I see head to ball contact followed by a player showing "signs of concussion", namely wobbly legs, loss of focus, headache, nausea (rarely).
Perhaps you aren't looking?

I only have first-hand knowledge of one of these cases being confirmed by a doctor.
U12 boy heading (poorly) a punt from keeper on a team I coached. Dropped him to his knees and we took him to the ER. They confirmed our guess: concussion.

[Unregistered]

At what level?
I see it several times a year at youth and hs.
To be precise, I see head to ball contact followed by a player showing "signs of concussion", namely wobbly legs, loss of focus, headache, nausea (rarely).
Perhaps you aren't looking?

I only have first-hand knowledge of one of these cases being confirmed by a doctor.
U12 boy heading (poorly) a punt from keeper on a team I coached. Dropped him to his knees and we took him to the ER. They confirmed our guess: concussion.

Mostly U12 & U14. But also experience at other levels. I have seen concussions from head to head contact but never from heading the ball. The mechanics of heading do not produce the energy necessary to move the brain within the skull. It just does not make sense from a physics standpoint.

[Unregistered]

At what level?
I see it several times a year at youth and hs.
To be precise, I see head to ball contact followed by a player showing "signs of concussion", namely wobbly legs, loss of focus, headache, nausea (rarely).
Perhaps you aren't looking?

I only have first-hand knowledge of one of these cases being confirmed by a doctor.
U12 boy heading (poorly) a punt from keeper on a team I coached. Dropped him to his knees and we took him to the ER. They confirmed our guess: concussion.

I have seen kids kicked in the head or a shot that hits a kid in the head cause problems, but NEVER a concussion from trying to head the ball.

[Unregistered]

I have seen kids kicked in the head or a shot that hits a kid in the head cause problems, but NEVER a concussion from trying to head the ball.

Agreed I have seen players get them from getting drilled with a cleared ball or a shot they could not get out of the way of.

Here is info from some MD's, showing source of concussions, this is fairly consistent with what I have seen during my involvement in 1000+ games:

http://ajs.sagepub.com/content/26/2/238.abstract

PS - I have personally sustained 5 concussions so I am very aware of the dangers and what recovery entails. Fortunately I ceased all activity until I recovered each time. The immediate aftermath of the concussion is really important. Athletes need to minimize all stimulation while their brain cells heal. It takes a few days or longer for the brain to return to normal glucose and blood flow levels. The first 48 hours are really important though. NO STIMULATION!!!!

[Unregistered]

Agreed I have seen players get them from getting drilled with a cleared ball or a shot they could not get out of the way of.

Here is info from some MD's, showing source of concussions, this is fairly consistent with what I have seen during my involvement in 1000+ games:

http://ajs.sagepub.com/content/26/2/238.abstract

PS - I have personally sustained 5 concussions so I am very aware of the dangers and what recovery entails. Fortunately I ceased all activity until I recovered each time. The immediate aftermath of the concussion is really important. Athletes need to minimize all stimulation while their brain cells heal. It takes a few days or longer for the brain to return to normal glucose and blood flow levels. The first 48 hours are really important though. NO STIMULATION!!!!

The study was done on College players, probally between the ages of 18- 24 or so.

Should that data be considered applicable to children playing at much younger ages?

Also, a variable in this case has to be the ball itself, if it is properly inflated ,and if the correct size is being used.

I see many 12 year olds using # 5 size balls, ( practicing ) and they should be using a # 4.

I truly believe that a properly sized ball, correctly inflated, and headed with good technique will niot cause a concussion , except in extremely rare occasions. But if one or more of the variables is not correct......

[Unregistered]

I have seen kids kicked in the head or a shot that hits a kid in the head cause problems, but NEVER a concussion from trying to head the ball.

Ah, well maybe you are making a distinction that I am not.
To be truthful, I have never tried to separate out "trying to head the ball" from the general "head to ball" when thinking about concussion.

I might be persuaded to go so far as to say that I have never seen a kid pro-actively strike the ball with his forehead (using good technique) and come away concussed. Probably true. I will think about that one.

But I have certainly seen:
--kids settle under very high balls and just let the ball hit them on the top of the head
--kids put their head (face) in front of driven balls (keepers and defenders, even in midfield)
--kids hit in the back or side of the head by driven balls

Followed by a kid whose legs wobble, whose head hurts and vision is blurry.

I see this with enough frequency (once every 30 games or so as a very rough guess) to be convinced that it isn't just me. And, with just one exception that I can recall, the only time I have EVER seen anyone take a kid off the field is when I am the referee and force it.

[Unregistered]

At what level?
I see it several times a year at youth and hs.
To be precise, I see head to ball contact followed by a player showing "signs of concussion", namely wobbly legs, loss of focus, headache, nausea (rarely).
Perhaps you aren't looking?

I only have first-hand knowledge of one of these cases being confirmed by a doctor.
U12 boy heading (poorly) a punt from keeper on a team I coached. Dropped him to his knees and we took him to the ER. They confirmed our guess: concussion.

And then there is this hat says we are too quick to take x-rays, CAT scans after youth head injuries:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42956244...and_parenting/

[Unregistered]

akchcs

Ah, well maybe you are making a distinction that I am not.
To be truthful, I have never tried to separate out "trying to head the ball" from the general "head to ball" when thinking about concussion.

I might be persuaded to go so far as to say that I have never seen a kid pro-actively strike the ball with his forehead (using good technique) and come away concussed. Probably true. I will think about that one.

But I have certainly seen:
--kids settle under very high balls and just let the ball hit them on the top of the head
--kids put their head (face) in front of driven balls (keepers and defenders, even in midfield)
--kids hit in the back or side of the head by driven balls

Followed by a kid whose legs wobble, whose head hurts and vision is blurry.

I see this with enough frequency (once every 30 games or so as a very rough guess) to be convinced that it isn't just me. And, with just one exception that I can recall, the only time I have EVER seen anyone take a kid off the field is when I am the referee and force it.

Yes you originally posted "head to ball" contact but what I am talking about is ball to head. Head to ball never seen it, ball to head, yes I have seen that though not a severe incident every 30 games. Still wondering if the full-90 really offer any protect ion for that either?

[Unregistered]

Ah, well maybe you are making a distinction that I am not.
To be truthful, I have never tried to separate out "trying to head the ball" from the general "head to ball" when thinking about concussion.

I might be persuaded to go so far as to say that I have never seen a kid pro-actively strike the ball with his forehead (using good technique) and come away concussed. Probably true. I will think about that one.

But I have certainly seen:
--kids settle under very high balls and just let the ball hit them on the top of the head
--kids put their head (face) in front of driven balls (keepers and defenders, even in midfield)
--kids hit in the back or side of the head by driven balls

Followed by a kid whose legs wobble, whose head hurts and vision is blurry.

I see this with enough frequency (once every 30 games or so as a very rough guess) to be convinced that it isn't just me. And, with just one exception that I can recall, the only time I have EVER seen anyone take a kid off the field is when I am the referee and force it.

In my world there is a difference between participating in a demolition derby and being T-boned in an intersection................

[Unregistered]

Looking for some comments regarding Protective Head Gear.
Why has this not been mandated in soccer as it has in other sports where the head comes into contact with things that can cause injury?
Is soccer the only sport where the head is unprotected?
Can we agree that the goalie, at least, should be protected ? Those goal posts are not padded.

Give me a break! Just wait until the Europeans and Spanish get a look at the silly looking Americans wearing the head gear playing soccer against them. Well, we will be the laughing stock of the world. Anything for companies to make money. What is next, mouth pieces or knee pads?

[Unregistered]

Give me a break! Just wait until the Europeans and Spanish get a look at the silly looking Americans wearing the head gear playing soccer against them. Well, we will be the laughing stock of the world. Anything for companies to make money. What is next, mouth pieces or knee pads?

The Chelsea keeper wears a full 90. Did not help him much vs Man U the other day.

- Cujo