1. Provide the title of your story or series and the names of the journalists involved.
Impact of concussions in high school athletics: By Brandon George, Mark Dent and Rainer Sabin
We published a four-part series on the impact of concussions in high school athletics and beyond.
2. List date(s) this work was published or aired.
August 1, 2010 through August 4, 2010.
3. Provide a brief synopsis of the story or stories, including any significant findings.
Part 1 of the four-part series was an overview on concussions in all levels of sports with emphasis on high schools. Research found that the University Interscholastic League's (Texas' governing body for high school athletics) concussion protocol isn't up to date with stricter national guidelines and features more relaxed recommendations for how soon athletes should return to play after head injuries. Unlike guidelines recently adopted by leading concussion experts, the UIL leaves it open for an athlete to return to play on the same day if the athlete hasn't lost consciousness and concussion symptoms are resolved within 15 minutes. Like its heat guidelines, the UIL concussion protocol is merely a set of recommendations and isn't policed. Fifty-three percent of public schools in Texas and about 92 percent of private schools don't have a full-time certified athletic trainer on staff. Additionally, 33 percent of public schools in Texas (mostly at the Class A and 2A levels) and 87 percent of private schools don't even have weekly access to a certified athletic trainer. UIL athletes must fill out a medical history form each year before competing in athletic activities. The forms feature questions that don't always deliver in determining concussion history. National experts say that about half of all concussions go unreported, and therefore undiagnosed and untreated. The second story in the four-part series found that the relationship between a high school coach and athletic trainer is among the most important aspects of ensuring the athletes' welfare. High school coaches and athletic trainers must err on the side of caution when dealing with head injuries and must trust and respect each other's decisions, concussion experts say. Many times, there is a conflict of interest between high school football coaches who hire athletic trainers who make potential life-altering decisions with teenagers when dealing with serious head injuries. Part 3 of the series was a look at how concussion knowledge and treatment has changed so much over the years. The story also took readers inside several personal stories of athletes who have suffered concussions and the circumstances surrounding thier injuries and symptoms. Part four of the series was an in-depth look at the advancements in helmet technology and how new helmets better help protect athletes from suffering concussions. As awareness of the dangers resulting from concussions grows, more coaches and athletic trainers are seeking solutions in improvements in headgear. But while medical experts are heartened with advances in technology that can reduce the risk of head injuries, they caution that there is no such thing
4. Explain types of documents, data or Internet resources used. Were FOI or public records act requests required? How did this affect the work?
On the first day of the series, we not only had the main (first) story but two sidebars (one on how a local school district was ahead of the curve in concussion management procedures and another sidebar on what the NFL had done in regard to protecting professional football players from concussions). We also had a first-person story from one of our columnists on his experience with a concussion. On-line, we had a link for parents and athletes to see a copy of the medical history form athletes complete to play sports in the UIL. We also had a copy on-line of the SCAT 2 form to diagnose concussions. We also had an on-line only link to a video that we recorded of a national concussion expert in town to talk to athletic trainers about concussions. On the second day of the series, we also published a sidebar that talked about how input from everyone is paramount when it comes to head injuries and had an on-line only slideshow explaining a concussion guide for coaches from the CDC. On the third day of the series, our high school columnist Matt Wixon wrote a column declaring no matter what's at stake, athletes need to tell someone about their injuries. On-line, we also had a link to the REAP Project that outlines benefits of good concussion management. On the fourth and final day of the series, Brandon George hosted an on-line chat along with a national concussion expert from Arizona and answered many questions from our readers about concussions and what our series uncovered.
See all the links here.
5. Explain types of human sources used.
We used many, many human sources to develop our four-part series on concussions in high school athletics. We talked to everyone from national concussion experts Tamara C. Valovich McLeod, an associate professor for the Athletic Training Program at A.T. Still University in Mesa, Ariz., and Kevin Guskiewicz, director of the Sports-Related Traumatic Brain Injury Research Center at the University of North Carolina, to many local athletic trainers, including Bucky Taylor of the Mesquite ISD who was one of Texas' leading concussion experts on the amateur level. We also spoke to several athletes who had suffered concussions, coaches who deal with athletes and athletic trainers managing concussions. We also spoke with helmet manufactuer representatives about advancements in technology to protect athletes against concussions. We also used resources from the Dallas-based National Athletic Trainers'
6. Results (if any).
Just two months after our four-part series was published, the University Interscholastic League (Texas' governing body for high school athletics) met in Austin (early October, 2010) and adopted new, stricter
as a concussion-proof helmet.Association.concussion management guidelines that are more up to date with national standards that will further protect high school athletes in Texas public schools from potential life-altering head injuries. We were told by numerous people that our four-part series played a major role in opening the eyes of the UIL's Medical Advisory Committee and some of our stories were presented to the committee during the meeting.
7. Follow-up (if any). Have you run a correction or clarification on the report or has anyone come forward to challenge its accuracy? If so, please explain.
On Nov. 12, 2010, Brandon George and Mark Dent wrote a follow-up story to our four-part series on concussions that studied how the condition of area high school turf football fields plays a role in the frequency of concussions. The report found that synthetic turf fields of area high schools aren't being tested or are not being tested often enough to ensure athletes' safety, a problem that experts say could place football players at a greater risk for concussions. Findings from an open-records request by The Dallas Morning News revealed that most schools don't test the safety and durability of their athletic fields on a regular basis. The hardness and shock absorption properties of a turf field are gauged by G-max, a measurement of acceleration that relates to the maximum force of a collision. A surface with a high G-max absorbs less force, meaning a dropped object sustains more force upon collision.
8. Advice to other journalists planning a similar story or project.
My advice to other journalists planning a similar story or project on concussions would be to localize the stories as much as possible and bring human elements into each and every report. Find athletes who have suffered concussions and tell their stories but also find local and national experts who can speak with authority on this complex injury that often leads to more questions than answers.