Giving Back as a Family

Submitted by Tim Twellman on Fri, 11/16/2012 - 17:47. | comments

The sport of soccer has given our family so much over the years. When I actually look back at the 35 years I have been married soccer has always been part of our daily lives.

From my college education, to my career as a professional player, to my current career directing Twellman Soccer, this sport has always been part of my life.

The same is true for my three kids. From their education to their careers to their love of the game soccer has always
and continues to be part of their lives.

The love of the sport has and will always be present but now our focus has changed.

Are we listening to the injured athlete?

Brooke de Lench

Seven Days In November: Concussions 24/7

Submitted by Brooke de Lench on Fri, 11/16/2012 - 15:38. | comments

It's been a very busy seven days. Pretty much, all football, all concussions, all the time.

It began with a trip to Washington, D.C. to participate in last Friday's Aspen Institute roundtable on the future of youth and high school football, and back home.

Saturday and Sunday were spent getting the trailer for the new MomsTEAM football documentary, The Smartest Team, uploaded to a new website.

On Monday morning, after sharing my thoughts on Aspen, I turned my attention to preparing for a quick trip to Austin, Texas on Wednesday, where I was the after-dinner speaker at the end of a symposium on concussions put on by Core Health Systems.

It's been a very busy seven days. Pretty much all football, all concussions, all the time. But if there is anything MomsTEAM's Founder and Publisher has learned over the past twelve years of following the advances in our knowledge of concussion, it is that an "all-of-the-above" strategy has the best chance of making the game safer.

Brooke de Lench

Aspen Institute Football Roundtable Was Valuable, But Changed Few Minds

Submitted by Brooke de Lench on Mon, 11/12/2012 - 17:32. | comments

Last Friday, I participated in a roundtable discussion in Washington, D.C. conducted by the Aspen Institute's Sports & Society program called "Playing Safety: The Future of Youth Football?" It was moderated by ESPN's Tom Farrey and, in the phrase made famous by the movie Casablanca, rounded up all the usual suspects on concussion safety and football, including MomsTEAM concussion expert emeritus Dr. Bob Cantu, USA Football Executive Director Scott Hallenbeck, and NFL Player Association President DeMaurice Smith, among other luminaries from the world of football and journalism. I was indeed honored to be asked to join those debating the future of the sport.

The Aspen Institute's discussion on the future of youth and high school football rounded up the usual suspects, both those advocating against tackle football before age 14 or abolishing the sport altogether, and those saying that the best approach is to institute reforms so that teams can play smart, not scared.

Participant List for Aspen Institute's Playing Safety: The Future of Youth Football Roundtable Discussion

Moderator

Tom Farrey, Director, Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program

Participants

Julian Bailes, Jr.
Founder and Director
Brain Injury Research Institute

Christine Brennan
Sports Columnist
USA Today

Jon Butler
Executive Director
Pop Warner Little Scholars, Inc.

Amy Callender
Federal Legislative Manager
National Athletic Trainers' Association

Robert Cantu
Co-Founder & Medical Director
Sports Legacy Institute

Tom Cove
CEO
Sports & Fitness Industry Association

MomsTeam's de Lench Joins Aspen Institute Roundtable On Future of Youth Football

MomsTEAM Founder and Publisher, Brooke de Lench, will be participating in an Aspen Institute roundtable discussion on the future of youth and high school football in the United States on Friday, November 9, 2012 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Washington, D.C.

Neck Strengthening Exercises To Reduce Concussion Risk

When athletes see a hit coming, they instinctively flex their neck muscles. Since it is the acceleration of the brain after a force is applied or transmitted to the head that results in concussion, reducing the acceleration of the head after impact can reduce the risk of sustaining a sport-related concussion. One way to do that is by strengthening the neck muscles.

Brooke de Lench

Pop Warner Concussion Scandal: Lessons Learned

Submitted by Brooke de Lench on Thu, 10/25/2012 - 17:36. | comments

The Pop Warner concussion scandal - one that, sadly, occurred right in my backyard here in Massachusetts - has put youth football under the microscope once again.

The Pop Warner concussion scandal has put youth football under the microscope once again. But is what happened in that single game reason enough to pull a kid out of football, or never sign him (or her) up in the first place? I don't think so.

Many Cheerleading Injuries Preventable, Pediatric Group Says

The increased popularity of cheerleading as a competitive, year-round sport involving complex acrobatic stunts has been accompanied by a steady increase in the number and severity of injuries, many of which could be prevented by taking simple safety precautions, says the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Cycling's Doping Problem: A Clean Athlete's Persepective

In the wake of the Lance Armstrong doping scandal, a two-time Olympic track cyclist says she never regretted her decision not to dope because she can look back at her entire cycling career and know that everything she accomplished was clean, and be proud.

Girls May Be No Worse Off After Sports Concussions Than Boys, Study Finds

Girls don't appear to be worse off after sports-related concussion than boys, either in terms of concussion symptoms or on neurocognitive tests measuring reaction time and visual memory, a new study finds.

Health & Safety