Making It Happen: Concussions In Professional Football

Almost Making It Happen

I expected to get a few bruises, but not a getting a concussion. Before the soccer game, my idea of a concussion was getting bumped in the head, receive headaches, and it would heal up in a week and then you would go back to the way you were. I was wrong. At times, concussions can be deadly, and if you have them more than once, it will decrease your chance of keeping your brain healthy and surviving. Concussions can also give you migraines and make you dizzy. I’ve only known one person who had a concussion and I didn’t look at it as an injury because he seemed fine, but I didn’t know about his symptoms. Getting this concussion was from playing a “friendly” game of soccer after running a cross country race. After that

The coach was walking around the bench area asking us where the team was. I was not surprised because I knew the players well enough to know that they are late to things like these.

“The whole team has a commitment of being here. I would hate to have to cancel the game because most of our players are irresponsible and can’t show up on time.” He said walking back and forth around the bench area with his head hanging.

At 4:00 p.m., the ref was going to start the game and at first, it was 7 vs. 11 for the first three minutes until more players from our team showed up. I could tell by looking at the coach that he was disappointed with the team. It was close to halftime and they were winning 2-0. Throughout the last ten minutes of the half, I was pressuring the other team. I sprinted for the ball that was bouncing towards the middle of the field. I jumped with the ball to make a header. Crack! I was on the ground and I remember feeling a sharp pain on my forehead. I felt like someone threw a rock at my face. My forehead was numb at first, but then the pain was coming fast. According to people around me, a knee went to my face. I was getting back up because I thought the ref would continue the game, but the ref told me to stay down. As I was lying back down, I looked all around me and the players were kneeling down and crowd had their mouths open while they were standing up. The coach came and said, “Are you

The course was muddy and slippery and damp. I knew that the last runners who were going qualify to state were going to run a nineteen-minute race. While other teams were practicing and warming up, my team was playing in the playground. From what I’ve been through this week, I know I wasn’t going to make it to state, but I still wanted to know how close I would be .The teams were called to the starting line and I was nervous. POP! The gunshot was heard and everyone was running for a place at state. After the first mile I was in 32nd place, but from there I was not improving. I started to slow down. My head was hurting and felt like it was going to explode, my legs were starting to give up and were feeling like they were going to collapse, and my arms were stiff. At my second mile, I was in 36th place and the coach had a worried face. At this point, I started to give up. I started coughing, had a runny nose, and was gasping for air. I finished the race in 36th place with a time of 19:44. I was exhausted and sad that the season was over, but I knew that I had one more season left to make it to