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Sidney Triepke
“Missoula will be shorthanded in the title game. Sidney Triepke will be out due to a concussion.”

Lady Bruins One Win Away From Three-peat
Read more: http://missoulian.com/sports/high-schoo ... f887a.html


Kara Pelosi
“Nicole Reardon has also been a big scorer for the Warriors this season. Reardon netted the game-winning goal off a pass from Jeanette Barone on Saturday.

“When I went to the coaches’ meeting, everyone told me they don’t like playing against Nicole because she’s such a physical player. She wins those one-on-one battles in the corner,” Norton said.

After missing a month of action due to a concussion, Kara Pelosi has been solid for the Warriors since returning to the ice. Pelosi had Medfield’s second goal on Saturday.

“It took Kara a while to get her legs back and get used to the timing of the game, but she’s been great since coming back,” Norton said.”

Girls Hockey Breaks Through On Ice
Read more: http://medfield.wickedlocal.com/article ... /302239436


U-14 Starting Goalie
“Paige Johnson scored a pair of empty-net goals late in the third period to give her freshman goalie all the breathing room she would need.

Johnson, a senior defenseman, had three goals on the night as Marshfield beat Point/Rapids 6-3 Friday night at the Marshfield Youth Ice Center.

In addition to her scoring expectations — Johnson leads the Tigers with 24 points — she had the added duty of making Lexi Dupee comfortable between the pipes in her first varsity start.

“I think the only time she played goalie before was two years ago on a U-14 team and our regular goalie was out with a concussion, so Lexi was surprised when she found out she had to go out there,” Johnson said. “She did a good job tonight and the empty-net goals at the end really helped season the game.”

Johnson's Hat Trick Leads Tigers Over Red Panthers
Read more: http://usatodayhss.com/2012/girls-hocke ... d-panthers

More Meghan Duggan
“In Sunday's contest between the Buffalo Beauts and the Connecticut Whale, an incident occured between Buffalo's Meghan Duggan and Connecticut's Molly Engstrom. Melissa Kania with Victory Press describes what went down:

Duggan rejoined the Beauts for Sunday's game after missing Saturday's game coaching with Clarkson, but appeared to be injured during the game. The injury happened behind the play (out of camera view), but Molly Engstrom received a five-minute major and a game misconduct for illegal head contact.

Duggan left the game and did not return to the ice, though she did watch the rest of the game with Beauts GM Linda Mroz.

Per the NWHL, Engstrom is being reviewed by the league for supplemental discipline.

This is a first for the NWHL. Fans are demanding more clarity of the rules for everything, from injury reporting to game rules to supplemental discipline.”

Women's Hockey Top 6: NWHL Responds to Burke; Engstrom And Discipline; Spoon Trick?
Read more: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck- ... 04233.html

3 Serious Injuries So Far in NWHL Games, More on Duggan

"It’s become clear over the past few weeks that the NWHL needs a Department of Player safety, with injuries becoming more prevalent as the players get in better shape and the game is played harder and faster.

Some of the injuries warrant a review, at the very least, such as the hit Connecticut Whale defender Molly Engstrom laid on Buffalo Beauts forward Meghan Duggan Sunday night.

Though the hit happened behind camera and was not visible to the viewing audience online, the crowd at Chelsea Piers in Stamford, Conn., saw Engstrom clock Duggan in the jaw with her left hand as the two were exiting the Whale’s defensive zone behind the play. Duggan collapsed to the ground and lay there for nearly a minute before exiting the ice, dressing in street clothes and watching the rest of the game next to Buffalo general manager Linda Mroz.

Engstrom was assessed a five-minute major and a game misconduct for head contact on Duggan, per the NWHL rulebook. Section Nine, subsection IX, Checking to the Head or Neck reads:

A player who directs a check to the head or neck of an opponent will be assessed one of:

a minor penalty and misconduct penalty
a major penalty and automatic game-misconduct penalty
a match penalty

A match penalty brings with it an automatic one-game suspension. Engstrom was not immediately assessed a suspension at the time of the incident.

Duggan has a history of concussion trouble and sat out the 2012 season, sidelined by a severe concussion. “I couldn’t talk or eat,” Duggan said in a 2014 Cosmopolitan interview. “I just sat at home in the dark, day after day, month after month.”

Taking her medical history into account, the hit Duggan suffered becomes even more troubling. The NWHL has thus far declined to comment on Duggan’s health. However, she did not step foot on the ice Tuesday afternoon for the girls’ hockey clinic held after the Dunkin’ Donuts sponsorship announcement.

Engstrom will face a review over the next week for her hit on Duggan. If the hit was found to be avoidable, it is probable the league will levy a suspension or fine against her.

No players have yet faced disciplinary measures in the league.

The rules governing such hits and subsequent disciplinary measures are unclear. The league does not have its bylaws linked on its website any longer. When they were on the website, they did not mention the particulars of the disciplinary process.

The hit on Duggan will not be the only review issued by the NWHL over its inaugural season. The league has already seen three hits and/or collisions end in serious injury to players. The need to determine whether or not these injuries could have been avoided and simultaneously prevent a culture of head-hunting from developing is paramount.

With league founder and commissioner Dani Rylan acting as the head of the league as well as general manager of the New York Riveters, there will inevitably be a conflict of interest if she is in charge of handing down disciplinary measures and shortening her own team’s bench simultaneously."
NWHL Outsourcing Department of Player Safety
Read more: http://www.todaysslapshot.com/nwhl/nwhl ... er-safety/

Callie Jackson
“The Vineyarders avenged a loss in the opening round of the Nan Rheault Tournament to take a commanding win in the consolation game over Peabody.

Scituate beat Wilmington, 2-0, to win the tournament.

Callie Jackson, in her first game back from a concussion, got Martha's Vineyard on the board first with a score 4:29 into the second period on assists from Sydney Davies and Maggie Johnson.”

School Roundup
Read more: http://www.capecodtimes.com/article//20 ... 1/SPORTS03


Barnstable High School Girls Ice Hockey
“Injuries caught up with Barnstable as it dropped a 5-3 non-league contest to Notre Dame (Hingham) at Rockland Ice Arena on Wednesday.

With a couple of key players out with concussions, the Raiders kept it close through two periods, trailing 4-3 after surrendering four scores to Notre Dame-Hingham (5-9-5) in the middle stanza.

Barnstable (12-2-5) got on the board first in the opening period when Brynn Mendes scored at 9:16 of the opening period.

The Cougars evened it up just 12 seconds into the middle period on the first of Emma Sullivan's two goals only to have the Raiders notch the next two goals (Morgan Richard and Callie Rogorzenski). However, a furious stretch of three goals in less than 1 1/2 minutes by the host Cougars proved to be the difference. An empty-net tally by Notre Dame with 18 seconds remaining locked up the victory. Next up for Barnstable is Thursday's consolation game against Norwood in the Cape Cod Classic in Falmouth.”

ND (Hingham) Tops Barnstable
Read more: http://www.capecodtimes.com/article/201 ... 8/0/SEARCH


Katie Flynn
“Sandwich put 58 shots on goal and skated to an Atlantic Coast League win over Marshfield.

Senior defenseman Katie Flynn and Claire Gauthier scored twice for the Blue Knights (7-4-1, 4-3 ACL). That gives Flynn four goals in her two games back after missing five contests with a concussion.

Gauthier, the state's third-leading scorer, has 34 points.”

Girls Hockey: Phelan's Two Goals Pace Barnstable
http://www.capecodtimes.com/article/201 ... 5/0/SEARCH

Former NHL official Paul Stewart is one of the hidden victims of the concussion epidemic. Stewart said in a recent interview with The Guardian that he estimates he suffered approximately 25-26 concussions over the course of his playing and officiating career combined.

Stewart comes from a hockey family. His father, Bill Stewart Jr., was also a referee, and he was once given last rites after he hit his head refereeing a Boston College hockey game. Stewart Jr. recovered from the blow and went back to work a month later.

Like his father, Paul Stewart has suffered many blows to the head as a hockey referee. And like his father and most officials in the NHL and junior hockey leagues, Stewart never complained. Concussions remained a taboo topic. You did not speak up, Stewart said in a lengthy interview with The Guardian, because you did not want to be seen as weak or worse.

"I don’t think we ever talked about (concussions)," Stewart told The Guardian. "We feared for our jobs."

Concussions are now a hot topic in sports. Will Smith is even starring in a film about concussions in sports set to hit theaters on Christmas Day. But while most people talk about the athletes who suffer from concussions, NHL referees remain hidden victims.

Paul Stewart is a decade removed from a 1,000-game NHL officiating career and he suffers from symptoms that sound all too familiar: headaches, memory problems, mood swings. He told The Guardian he had a brain tumor a few years ago and doctors wondered whether there could be a correlation between the tumor and numerous concussions.

Stewart, like many NHL players, has already decided to donate his brain to Boston University's Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy research center. He finally broke the code of silence among referees against complaining about injury. Back in the day, anyone who spoke up was seen as weak. Stewart told The Guardian that his own father advised him against wearing a helmet on the ice because he'd never manage to keep a job that way.

Times have changed. All officials now wear helmets on the ice. But it is impossible to know how many, like Stewart, suffered in silence over the years. Even more concerning is the possibility that the silence continues to this day, a silence that remains unquestioned by a public who now notices concussions in players but seemingly forgot about the game's officials.

Stewart is quiet no more. Perhaps his peers will start to speak up too.

(h/t The Guardian)

http://www.foxsports.com/nhl/story/nhl- ... ees-121015

Watch the head and neck of Duggan

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck- ... 40239.html

TPT Video

http://video.tpt.org/video/2260739330/

The Player Replaced by Sarah Jensen
“What started as an ordinary work day for Sarah Jensen on Jan. 23 changed abruptly after she received a phone call from Mo Stroemel, head coach of the U.S. women’s national university hockey team.

Stroemel informed Jensen, a 2007 graduate of Albert Lea High School and alternate for Team USA, that a player had gotten a concussion and that she needed to be in Chicago the next morning in order to catch a flight to Erzurum, Turkey, to play in the 25th Winter World University Games.

Jensen, still wearing an apron in the Einstein Bros. Bagels shop she worked at on the campus of South Dakota State University in Brookings, S.D., was stunned.

“I didn’t know what to think,” Jensen said. “I had school and work and had to think about what I was going to do for two weeks.”

ALHS Grad Plays Hockey For Team USA
Read more: http://www.albertleatribune.com/2011/02 ... -team-usa/


D3 Daughter
“A question about redshirting with a concussion.

The situation is a players gets a concussion in November after playing three NCAA D3 games. This concussion causes the player to struggle in school because she can't go to class without getting headaches and she can't concentrate. Her GPA drops from a 2.7 the previous year to a 1.6. The concussion was likely the cause of the drop in GPA. It is her senior year. She didn't make grades so she is unable to play the second half of the season. Is she able to redshirt?”

Concussions
Read more: http://board.uscho.com/showthread.php?9 ... ions/page3


NCHA D3 Player
“This (http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ex-nhl-gr ... e-1.982775) is a must view for all parents, players, coaches etc.

Our daughter played D-III as a freshman last year. She sustained at least two concussions. One just before Thanksgiving which gave her the holiday break to recover, test, and return to action. The second one occurred in the first round of the NCHA playoffs, and ended her hockey career. Devastating to have to walk away from 15+ years of something she absolutely loved. That said... It had to be. She could not sustain another one.

Currently, she is free from side effects and has been to her neurologist for follow ups. She will be monitored over the next year and we hope and pray no long term issues. Time will tell.”

Concussions
Read more: http://board.uscho.com/showthread.php?97057-Concussions

Badgers’ Upper Body Injuries
“When you have the top two scoring defensemen in the nation at your beck and call, conventional wisdom says you should provide them with as much playing time as possible.

That's especially so when your club is 14-0 and sitting atop the national polls.

But when Wisconsin women's hockey coach Mark Johnson used senior captain Courtney Burke and junior Jenny Ryan for 30 minutes each in consecutive games last week, it was out of necessity, not greed.

"It's something we had to call upon them to do because of some of the injuries we've had up to this point," Johnson said.

Burke and Ryan saw major ice time for the top-ranked Badgers during a non-conference series with Lindenwood because two other front-liner blue-liners – junior Melissa Channell and sophomore Maddie Rolfes were sidelined with upper-body injuries.

Johnson said Channell could be available for a non-league series with Dartmouth (4-2-2) on Friday and Saturday at LaBahn Arena, which would ease the burden on Burke and Ryan.

A 1-2 Punch From The Badgers' Blue Line
Read more: http://www.uwbadgers.com/news/2015/11/2 ... 52050.aspx


Megan Donnelly
From the Katie Couric show:
“Megan Donnelly, who suffered a serious concussion playing ice hockey, warns others how dangerous concussions can be.”

One Teen Girl's Message: Take Concussions Seriously
Read more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8q2L7uiI9pY&app=desktop


Gopher Women Athletes
From the University of Minnesota:
“Dr. Robert Bruininks discusses the topic of our 2011 spring Distinguished Lecture concentrated on the impact of concussions on female athletes. We recognized that in spite of considerable scholarly inquiry, media coverage, and public debate, female athletes were largely missing from discussion. In tackling this topic, we wanted to expand dialogue, increase awareness, promote prevention, and ensure that future concussion research included female athletes. "Concussions and Female Athletes" is the untold story of the impact of concussion on female athletes. The premiere will be aired Sunday, October 16, 2011 at 8:00 p.m. and includes interviews with athletes and their parents, referees, coaches, scholars, and policy makers.”

Concussions and Female Athletes
Read more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M13V_QGrva0

Thunder Player
“While it collected its share of bumps and bruises along the way, the Badger Thunder girls hockey team capped off a solid three-day, five-game stretch of hockey with a pair of wins Saturday.

“I was very happy and very proud of what they did,” head coach Bryan Laux said of the team’s busy weekend. “And we had a lot of JV players that really stepped up to the plate on varsity this weekend.”

...With a split squad — the rest of the team played at Chippewa Falls-Menomonie — in the afternoon game of the invite, against Tomahawk, the match was suspended due to an injury to a Thunder player.

The player was taken away by an ambulance and was later diagnosed with a concussion.

The Thunder were trailing, 4-1, when the game was suspended. Faith Ryerson scored the team’s lone goal.

...The Thunder found out late Thursday night that senior Kathryn Vander Schaaf suffered a broken wrist in Thursday’s 2-2 tie with Point-Rapids. Laux said Vander Schaaf will miss the rest of the season.

Despite the injuries, Laux was pleased with how his team banded together during this tough stretch of games and believes it will pay dividends as they near the postseason.

“Everybody pulled together, stepped up to the plate and took care of their responsibilities to help us get through a very challenging weekend,” Laux said. “I think that will bode well for helping each other and developing as a team, and it will also help us in gaining some continued confidence going into the playoffs.

“They did a lot of positive and smart things. In the big picture, with tournament time coming up, that’s going to play a bigger factor than just skill.”

Badger Thunder Tally Pair Of Weekend Victories
Read more: http://www.wiscnews.com/baraboonewsrepu ... 9b3eb.html


Molly Albert
“The downside was an earlier-than-expected exit for senior Molly Albert, who was forced to the sideline with a mild concussion after a second-period collision.

Coach Scott Imhoff said his team simply ran into a tougher opponent.”

Season Ends For Freeze Girls
Read more: http://www.wiscnews.com/reedsburgtimesp ... 002e0.html

Melissa Boufounos 10/31/2014
“Dreams are meant to be broken, right?

In July I shared with you how happy I was to be back on the path to chasing my dream of playing in the CWHL. Less than a month later I found myself sidelined by a concussion I sustained in the first game of the CBHA Ball Hockey Nationals in Saskatoon.

It's been a bumpy ride ever since, especially with the realization that I would not be able to enter the CWHL Draft as originally planned. On top of the concussion, I've been dealing with a meniscus injury in my left knee and a ligament issue in my right foot (go big or go home, eh?).

For a brief while I considered giving up ice hockey all together this season, but my sanity couldn't take that much of a blow. At the end of September I joined the Whitby Wolves Senior A team of the OWHA for their inaugural season.

This is by far the worst concussion I have sustained in my playing career. While I did not blackout and I passed the cognitive and physical evaluations of the SCAT3, I showed 20 of 22 symptoms. Two and a half months later I still deal with about 10 of the symptoms from time-to-time, very mildly, and less than a handful of the symptoms more moderately.

Ever since the hit I've noticed I have a hard time falling, and staying, asleep at night. It's rare that I can get through a day without needing a nap, or at least needing to lie down for a little bit. In general, I just don't feel "myself" and have felt slowed down and in a fog.

Other events in my personal life recently could also have me feeling like this, so sometimes I have a hard time deciphering whether that is to blame or if it truly is post-concussion related.

Fast forward to the end of October and I've finally gone back to the gym for the first time in 15 (FIFTEEN!!!) weeks. While I don't feel 100%, I have been reassured that my knee and foot are stable and can handle (and would benefit from) strength training.

I appreciate the support I've gotten from my friends, family and social media followers through this time and for those that reached out to wish me luck in the CWHL Draft. If I can manage to go an entire year injury free, I may consider entering the draft next season.”

Injuries and Setbacks
Read more: http://melissaboufounos.weebly.com/blog ... d-setbacks


Melissa Boufounos 12/6/2015
“Two weeks since I took elbow to face at tourney and still haven’t gone 12 hours without concussion symptoms. Quitting hockey seems likely

Giving up ball hockey this summer is going to be hard, but thinking about not playing ice next winter hurts my soul.

This is number 6. I started really noticing cognitive changes after number 4. I want to say it’s worth it. But I can’t anymore.”

6 December 2015
Read more: https://twitter.com/mbouf/statuses/673579017476440064

Kaitlin Rohde
“Northern Edge goalie Sophie Schmidt stopped 48 shots on goal, but it wasn't enough as Superior stopped the Edge's five-game winning streak 3-2 on Saturday at the Langlade County Multi-Purpose Building in Antigo. Katie Detert added to her team-leading points total with a pair of assists, but Rhinelander/Antigo/Three Lakes struggled without two standouts in uniform, Gabbe Millot (personal) and Kaitlin Rohde (concussion).

"We broke down at times defensively," said Edge coach Nick English. "It's kind of disappointing. I challenged our girls before the game, with missing a couple of players, who's going to step up?"

It was just the second win of the year for the Spartans, who improved to 2-6-1. Northern Edge dropped to 9-5-0, getting just 22 shots on goal. "I told them, we have to put it behind us, it's not a conference game, so we have to focus on the conference games that we have ahead of us," said English. Superior opened the scoring just more than halfway past the midpoint of the first period with an Anna Lurndal goal.

Then, with under a minute left in the first, Detert left a pass for Taylor Trachte in the slot, who followed her shot with a rebound goal to tie it at one. The Spartans took a commanding 3-1 lead into second intermission after goals by Devyn Moss and Kari Miller. In the third, the Edge climbed back within a goal when Detert wrapped a pass around the goal and Lindsey Steger found the open net.

That made it 3-2 with just over eight minutes left. But with the Edge within striking range, Maddie Shinners was slapped with a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct on a hit from behind. That meant Northern Edge played shorthanded for most of the remaining five minutes of the game. The Edge couldn't muster a shorthanded goal, and Superior cruised to the win. After the non-conference loss, the Edge still controls its path to a Great Northern Conference championship. That starts with a game on Monday at Point/Rapids.

"We won't have (Kaitlin Rohde) back for Monday, and with Maddie getting the game misconduct, we won't have her back for Monday, so it hurts. Once again, I'm going to challenge our girls. Who's going to step up?" asked English.”

Superior Snaps Edge's Win Streak
Read more: http://www.wjfw.com/email_story.html?SKU=20130120085342


Rachel Grampp
“Whether Williamsville was protecting a one-goal lead or needing a goal to tie a game, coach Rick Hopkins could always rely on Rachel Grampp to deliver.

The senior received the most votes of any defenseman on the ballet despite missing the final five games with a concussion.

She was one of the girls in the league who could take over a game,” Hopkins said. “She was a dynamic player to watch. She saw the ice extremely well and was a great passer. She dominated at both ends.”

First Team Recipients Loaded With Experience
Read more: http://m.kentonbee.com/news/2014-03-26/ ... motGGQrLAL

Keely Brown
“But Hughes feels her team is capable of a greater level of play, which will be displayed against York. Successful teams, like Varsity, have been known to play their best when it counts, in the playoffs.

However, one cloud of uncertainty still hangs over the team. Hughes hasn't formally named her starting netminder for Saturday. She said any of the three goaltenders on the team, Wahnese Antonioni, Keely Brown, and Nadia Brabant, could play. However the choice should come down to one of the first two. Antonioni has played the bulk of the games this season, while Brown has only played in a handful of games due to a concussion she suffered. Conventional wisdom probably says, 'Go with the one that got you here,' which would mean Antonioni.”

Women’s Hockey Guns For Title
Read more: http://www.whockey.com/team/blues/artic ... 0210b.html

Kaitlyn McManus
“With three games remaining before the Christmas break, Murphy is looking forward to the new year, when he expects to have a full roster, something the Lightning haven’t iced this season. Lisa Bruno, who broke her collarbone in the third game of the season, is expected back, as is Kaitlyn McManus, who will have missed a couple months with a concussion.”

Streaky Scoring Continues For Durham West Jr. Lightning
Read more: http://www.durhamregion.com/sports-stor ... lightning/


Bonnie Bram
“I started out the season with a bad concussion, my second of 2013. I missed a month of school and hockey and spent most of my time in bed or at a neurologist office. It was a little scary, as all brain injuries are, but I am thankful to have such supportive parents, teachers, coaches, and teammates who helped me get through it. The rest of the semester was spent trying to catch up on schoolwork and getting back onto the ice.”

Senior Year At Sacred Heart University
Read more: http://www.womenshockeylife.com/blogs_v ... 99&CatId=4

Women’s College Player and Her Coach From A Concussion Study
“The occurrence of brain-rattling concussions among both elite male and female hockey players appears to be much higher than reported, suggests a study in which sports medicine doctors were behind the bench observing a season's worth of games.

The study, which followed players on two Canadian university teams during the 2011-2012 season, found the incidence of concussions was three times higher in males and more than five times greater in females than most previous research had found.

Surprisingly, perhaps, the rate of concussion among women playing university-level hockey was roughly twice that of their male counterparts.
Five of the 25 male players and six of the 20 females sustained concussions during the season, and one of them experienced a second brain trauma in a subsequent game.

"Those are all significant (findings) to say, 'Look, it's important to understand that we're not reporting this correctly,'" said Dr. Paul Echlin, a sports medicine specialist who oversaw the series of linked studies.

Almost 70 per cent of the hits that caused a concussion were to a player's head and more than 80 per cent of those knocks were deliberate versus incidental, the observers found.

Concussion is a traumatic brain injury that typically results from a blow to the head. Symptoms include headache, confusion, memory loss, dizziness and nausea or vomiting.

Depending on the severity of the concussion, symptoms can last for days, weeks or months. Concentration and the ability to remember may be impaired; the person can be irritable, depressed and experience marked personality changes; sensitivity to light and noise, along with disturbed sleep, are also common.

With repeated concussions, the brain can be permanently damaged.

But getting coaches and team trainers to recognize when a player may have suffered a concussion and needs to be pulled from the ice for assessment — and possibly from further play for a time — continues to be a huge challenge, said Echlin, who works with injured athletes at the Elliott Sports Medicine Clinic in Burlington, Ont.

"Once you start removing players and testing them, then it becomes oppositional," he said, noting there was "huge pushback" during the study, in which physicians observed 55 regular- and post-season games played by the varsity squads.

As one physician-observer reported: "I had negative feedback from the coach who thought that the study was a waste of money ... he didn't want his players to get assessed in fear that they would be declared as concussed and advised not to play ... the players didn't want to be declared as concussed since it would limit their playing time."

In another incident, a player diagnosed with a minor concussion in the second period was sent back on the ice for the third. At the end of the game, the player said she was still feeling “iffy” and “off” and slightly dizzy.

The study doctor advised that she be excluded from upcoming games to give her brain time to heal, Echlin writes in an editorial overview of three linked studies published in the journal Neurosurgical Focus.

While the coach acknowledged the symptoms were concerning and the player “had the rest of her life ahead of her,” she challenged the doctor's authority to make the call — even though her own career playing hockey had been ended due to multiple concussions.

"I find that the players and coaches often downplay the symptoms in an effort to get the athlete back into action," said one physician-observer. "I think it relates to the culture of hockey.

"Players are scared to be seen as weak and almost always want to play. Coaches expect their players to 'shake it off' and 'take it for the team' and get back on the ice. I think coaches fail to admit the significance of the symptoms."

Echlin agreed, saying the sports culture — whether around hockey, soccer or football — encourages the idea that "if you can't see it, it doesn't exist. And it's win at all costs."

Hockey Player Concussions: Male And Female Injuries More Common Than Reported
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/11/30 ... 15689.html

Kalley Kragenbring
“More than 14 months have passed and Alexandria's Kalley Kragenbring can finally live her life again.

Not the way it once was. Not as the hockey star that some people knew her as before two concussions altered her life in ways that she never thought possible. But for the past month, Kragenbring has woken up in the morning without the physical and emotional exhaustion that drained her for the better part of a year.

"There were days when I thought that's how I was going to feel for the rest of my life," she said. "But now I know that I can feel better, and other kids should be able to know that too. It will eventually get better. It's so hard going through it, but it's worth sticking it out."

There was a time when getting better for Kragenbring wasn't complete unless it meant getting back on the ice. She joined hockey as a 3rd-grader and by the time she reached high school she was drawing hockey sticks after every one of her signatures.

Kragenbring, now 17 years old and a junior at Jefferson High School, seemed well on her way to being one of the next big names in a proud Alexandria varsity program. Her teammates respected her enough to name her the team MVP as just a freshman in 2011. More than even the numbers she put up, it was the way she affected those around her that helped make her stand out.

"One thing that makes teams competitive is having players that play with intensity and a fire and a passion," Alexandria head coach Andy Shriver said of Kragenbring's style. "Partly because it makes them very effective in games, but it's contagious having players that play like that. When you have that, it filters into everyone else's game, too."

Kragenbring admits today that playing with that kind of fire sometimes meant playing rough. Her mother, Chris Kragenbring, says she worried about that from the time she was little. Chris always left her with the same message before every game - "Play like a crazy lady but don't get hurt."

THE INITIAL HIT
Kalley had heeded that advice leading up to a game against River Lakes on January 17, 2012. Alexandria was on its way to a third straight win that night when Kragenbring was checked by an opposing player and knocked to the ground. Her head hit the ice, but she didn't notice any immediate consequences and ended up finishing the game.

It wasn't until the next morning that the common concussion symptoms hit her hard. Kragenbring awoke feeling fatigued and with a severe headache. She slept almost constantly for the next three days. Almost a month passed before she was given the OK to play again in the playoff opener after passing her baseline ImPACT test and getting cleared by a doctor.

Kragenbring was thrilled to be back as her team played in the Section 6A title game on February 17 against Detroit Lakes. Alexandria was down 1-0 with almost 10 minutes left as she shot down the ice along the benches. Kragenbring didn't see anything coming before she collided with a Lakers player who was coming into the game on a line change.

"It was just a bizarre thing in the natural flow of the game," Shriver said. "It was on a change so the play was going north-south and the player was going east-west. It just made for a bad-chance collision."

Kragenbring was lying unconscious on the ice as a trainer kneeled over her. Minutes passed before she was finally helped to her feet and taken to the locker room where she was diagnosed with another concussion. She still doesn't remember much of what happened next, other than being brought to the emergency room after hugging her teammates after the game.

"Even in the state of mind she was in, she was begging to go back out and play," Chris said. "She just said, 'My team needs me.' She was just adamant about getting back out on the ice, so it was very emotional and difficult."

Kalley was still begging her parents to let her back on the ice as a new season approached almost nine months later. Even then, she wasn't quite ready to admit that she would never play another hockey game.”

Kalley's Challenge: Concussions Cut Short Career
Read more: http://www.echopress.com/content/kalley ... ort-career

Melissa Kueber
“After finishing her freshman year at Colgate University as the team’s goal scoring leader, St. Albert’s Melissa Kueber is now battling through what she says must be the sophomore slump.

A concussion kept the 19-year-old forward off the ice for a few games this season, as did bouts of mononucleosis, strep throat and bronchitis.
“I haven’t had the year I’ve wanted to have. I’ve had a lot of injuries and illnesses,” Kueber says. “I’ve missed quite a few games this year already, so knock on wood that all of that is over with.”

Kueber is still dealing with tendonitis, torn ligaments and a cyst in her right wrist, but aside from having to tape up for games, she is back to feeling healthy.”

Kueber Battles Through Sophomore Slump
Colgate Raiders Forward Hit Hard By Injuries And Illnesses
Read more: http://www.stalbertgazette.com/Kueber-b ... p-20130209


Annika Johnson
“In the locker room before the game, we had fire,” said Johnson, who also scored in the second period. “We were all pumped up, and we were ready to come back and get back at them. I was excited and everyone was really pumped up to go, and I think that’s what helped us out tonight.”

After missing the previous two games with a concussion, Johnson opened the scoring 9 minutes, 27 seconds into the first period, beating Metro Lynx junior goaltender Erin Webb in traffic.

“I just cut in hard, and it just rolled over the goalie’s shoulder and into the net,” Johnson said.

Johnson added secondary assists on the Cougars’ next two goals. Meanwhile, Ward pushed her conference-leading point total to 11, following a goal and an assist in the second period with an unassisted breakaway tally in the third.

“Put her on the roster, we circle her name because she’s the best player on the ice,” Middleton co-op coach Derek Ward said of the Sun Prairie co-op forward. “She proved it tonight. She absolutely proved it. She is an extremely physical player, and I think that’s another reason why she’s so hard to defend. She just runs through everybody.”

Prep Girls Hockey: Annika Johnson's Four Points Help Sun Prairie Co-op Beat Middleton Co-op
Read more: http://m.host.madison.com/wsj/sports/hi ... a8e0b.html


More Melissa Kueber
“My hockey experience has taught me a lot about overcoming adversity. It started with the first dream that I had when I was younger, which was to play in the NHL. My favorite team was, and still is, the Edmonton Oilers. Every time I would attend an Oilers games, I imagined playing on that sheet of ice, going up against my heroes, like Joe Sakic or Doug Weight.

I played boys hockey until the age of 15, when reality finally sunk in. I’m not sure if it was after the concussions, broken bones, or other injuries that I realized that the boys were getting bigger and stronger, and I was staying the same. I remember trying out for the Bantam AAA boys team in my first year playing at that level. The coach told me I was not strong enough, and that I would never have a chance at playing such an elite level because I was a girl. I remember walking out of the coach’s office, tears filling my eyes. All of the boys trying out with me were shocked that I got cut. I could have easily given up and hung up the skates for good, but I wanted to prove to that coach that he was wrong. That year, I played Bantam AA boys hockey and I took every chance I had to improve my skills and strength. Some people might question why players keep going back to these tryouts, time after time, only to be met with disappointment once again. Yet, the following year, I made Bantam AAA. I overcame all the blocks stacked against me. Why? Because I love the game of hockey.”

On The Ice Or In The Streets: What Hockey Means To Me
Read More: https://www.playon.ca/about/blog/33

More Kalley Kragenbring
“Kalley Kragenbring never imagined the game against Detroit Lakes where she suffered her second concussion in a span of 31 days would be her last, but as the months passed, the symptoms never diminished.

Kragenbring said she dealt with headaches and fatigue every day for six months after the second concussion. Symptoms lasting that long are rare but not unheard of and the Kragenbrings were willing to search everywhere for answers.

They met with a concussion specialist at the National Dizziness and Balance Center who mandated a technology-free life for 14 days. That meant no TV, no iPads, no cell phones and no computer. She was also kept out of school for three straight weeks last spring. Her family tried to make it a little easier on her by staying away from the same devices themselves.

"It all sucks," Kragenbring said. "Not knowing if I was ever going to feel 100 percent again. Not knowing if I was ever going to be able to stay a whole day at school. Those are the questions that I was asking last year and a little bit at the beginning of this year, too."

Months passed and another hockey season started without her when the family's concerns finally reached a breaking point in early February. Kalley had slept for the better part of two days when she joined her mom and her dad, Mark, downstairs to watch TV on a Sunday night.

She rested her head on Chris' leg and fell asleep. Her parents tried to wake her after Kalley's face started to twitch and contort as if she were in pain. Nothing worked.

Kalley was brought to the emergency room where Chris says she remained in that condition for almost an hour. Doctors ran every test imaginable after she woke up. Labs, X-rays and a CT scan all left them with more questions than answers.

"That's when we just really hit it like, 'OK, what are we going to do?' " Chris said. "The first thing was, we got to pull her from school and go back to resting her brain completely and start to work from there."

SIGNS OF PROGRESS
The Kragenbrings were willing to exhaust every option in order to gain some clarity. They contacted both the Mayo Clinic and Gillette Children's Hospital in St. Paul before setting up an EEG at Gillette on February 18. That alleviated some concerns after the test came back normal.

Kalley says the biggest relief came a few days later after a second visit with a chiropractor. She met with Dr. Bjorn Hurlen of Alexandria and got a gentle adjustment after he noticed some slight swelling at the base of her skull.

Kalley woke up early and on her own the next day. Physically, she says she has felt close to 100 percent for more than a month. Kragenbring feels the chiropractor visits have played a big part in that. The family also credits the support and prayer from family and friends, but accepting what this ultimately meant for her in hockey was a necessary step as well.

"Another thing that really helped was dealing with it emotionally," Kalley said. "I lost the thing that I loved, so I was basically depressed. That makes you tired too and to not want to do anything. After I started dealing with that, I noticed that things were getting better."

LIFE AFTER HOCKEY
Kragenbring says no matter how long she is symptom free that playing the sport she grew up loving is no longer a part of her future. She still skates with her younger cousins at Noonan Park. She loves to run and do yoga. But she will never light a lamp again or help her team to a state tournament.
"I know my limitations," Kragenbring said. "I know that I can't play hockey. I can't snowboard. I know what I can and can't do, and I've learned to accept that and find other fun stuff to do."

Getting to that point was a process that lasted as long as the headaches. Kragenbring admits that she never wanted to blend in on the ice. She wanted people to look at her, to recognize her as the hockey player when she walked through the halls at school.

Kragenbring attempted to stay involved by accepting a student manager position for the Cardinals this past season, but she quickly found that she couldn't handle going to games. She tried. Her family traveled to the season opener at North Metro on November 10. Kalley made it through the first period before breaking down emotionally.

"Don't let your identity be your sport; because mine was," Kragenbring said. "That was one of the hardest things. I felt like my identity was taken away. That was a hard thing, rebuilding that and getting my confidence back, but I feel like finally it's happened."

Kalley is slowly easing her way back into things. She plans on going back to school for three-hour days starting on Monday. She is still on pace to graduate next spring through summer courses and with the help of teachers who the family says have been instrumental in helping her stay on track.
Kragenbring recently passed a placement test at the Alexandria Technical College with a score of 92. The test is needed for high school students to take dual-credit college courses at JHS. A 78 is passing, and Kragenbring had scored in the low 60s a couple months after her second concussion. She took it again this past fall and got a 74 before passing with ease on March 19.

"We were pretty giddy leaving the technical college," Chris said. "High fives and phone calls to dad and grandma. Again, that's something that a lot of people take for granted. It's huge. When there's something concrete, it's really nice to see that and say, 'Yep, it is healing.' "

Things are starting to feel normal. It's not exactly the life Kalley had before the injuries, but Chris smiles when she says she finally has her daughter back. That's more important than anything she could have ever accomplished by getting back on the ice.

"I feel like now I'm at the point where I can give back with my experience and help younger kids or other kids who have been through this," Kalley said. "I can talk to them and tell them that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. It might be really small, but it's there."

Kalley’s Challenge: Life After Hockey
Read more: http://www.echopress.com/content/kalley ... ter-hockey

Anais Tavolara
“Girls playing hockey on boys teams in North Jersey is not new, although four girls on one team is believed to be the most — statistics on such things aren't kept. There are multiple all-girl club hockey programs in North Jersey and DePaul even mulled fielding an all-girl team this winter.

But one thing that is obvious is the skill level of the girls continues to rise. They may not have the strength to match up against the boys, but they don't shy away, in fact, the physical play is one of the things that have drawn them to the game.

"I didn't really like playing with the girls," said Falduto, a Clifton native. "You couldn't hit anyone."

Tavolara probably is the Spartans' most talented girls player. She has been a top-six forward this season, but recently has missed some time with a concussion — yes, when a member of the opposite sex checked her.

"He was like 10 times my size and kind of leaned his shoulder in a little bit," she said. "My feet went over my head."

Cooper On H.S. hockey: DePaul Girls Not Backing Down
Read more: http://www.northjersey.com/sports/coope ... n-1.649671


Madi Gay
“Junior Amy Jost has received a majority of the team’s starts this season, but head coach Blair Hovel says they have up to five goaltenders that are capable of keeping pucks out of the net for the varsity squad. Bailey Serum received an opportunity to start in goal Monday and did not disappoint, stopping 20 of 21 Willmar shots on goal in a 6-1 victory. Serum owns a 1-1 record in two games this season, as does Taylor Coker.

Sarah Finley and Madi Gay are also waiting in the wings for the Cardinals. Finley stopped all 12 shots on goal in the junior varsity’s 5-0 victory over Willmar Monday. Gay is currently recovering from a concussion.

Right now the Cardinals have Jost, Serum and Coker as goaltenders on the varsity roster, which gives them insurance in the event of an illness or an injury.

“I feel confident with all three, which is nice as a coach to have that,” Hovel said. “Like I said, Sarah Finley could be there, Madi Gay if she was back. It’s nice to have five goalies that you can rely on.”

Goaltending A Commodity For Cardinals
http://www.echopress.com/sports/cardina ... -cardinals

Naomi Poelzer
“Oilers goalie Naomi Poelzer exemplifies the contributions of rookies on the club as a newcomer not only to Tier I but to her position.

The Grade 10 student at Holy Trinity Academy made the switch from centre to goalie last season with the Bantam 1 Oilers.

“I got a really bad concussion in one of the games and the concussion specialist told me I shouldn’t go back to playing centre because of all the contact,” Poelzer said. “I really missed hockey and decided to switch to goalie because there’s no real contact.”

With no experience whatsoever in goalie equipment Poelzer had some catching up to do. Her diligent work at the Goalie Shop clinic and in practices has the butterfly netminder well ahead of the typical learning curve for the position.

In fact, the adjustment to the mentality of stopping pucks has been the most difficult part for the Okotokian.

“It’s a lot more stressful because you’re the last one the puck has to go through,” Poelzer said.

Female Oilers Enjoying Turnaround Campaign
Read more: http://www.westernwheel.com/Female-Oile ... n-20121205


Samantha Watt
“Mercyhurst – Bram (ill) rejoins the lineup after being hospitalized last week. … D Samantha Watt (concussion) won’t play today. … Freshman F Christie Cicero returned to game action last weekend at Wayne State after missing the previous month with a leg injury. …”

College Hockey Preview
Read more: http://blogs.goerie.com/shootout/2010/11/26/4628/


Emily Holmquest
“The Middleton girls hockey co-op traveled to Blaine, Minn. on Monday to compete in the Schwan Cup holiday tournament.

Opening the tournament against Aberdeen (S.D.), the Metro Lynx were able to generate a season-high two goals. Middleton actually held a one-goal lead early in the first period, but were unable to hold it as the girls fell, 9-2. Madison Edgewood senior Emily Bauer gave the Metro Lynx a 1-0 lead 4 minutes, 19 seconds into the game, scoring unassisted. Madison West's Kyanna Kiley evened up the score at 2-all, thanks to the pass of Verona's Cailtin Boss. A pair of Aberdeen goals less than two minutes apart in the period was a sign of things to come, however, tacking on six more goals in the second and one in the third.

Madison Memorial junior Emily Holmquest stopped 21 shots in the loss.

Middleton looked to regroup on Tuesday, facing Duluth (Minn.) Marshall.

Playing without Holmquest, who sustained a concussion the previous day, the Metro Lynx couldn't overcome Marshall, falling, 8-2. Tylor Tuomi took over in Holmquest's place, making 13 saves. Kathryn Anderson and Kiley had the Lynx's two goals.

"There were a lot of positive things that we took away from this game, which we can hopefully carry forward into our next few games," Metro Lynx head coach Brittany Spencer said.”

Girls Hockey: Metro Lynx Come Away Empty At Schwan Cup
Read more: http://www.connectverona.com/content/gi ... schwan-cup

Abby Parr
“The Pirates had a power play and pulled the goalie at the end but couldn't get the equalizer.

Junior Abby Parr left the game on a stretcher midway through the second period.

"We spoke in a text and her neck is OK, nothing we need to concerned about," Perreault explained. "She was concussed. She had blurry vision and a headache. She is a tough gal. We were just starting to get the momentum and we scored our goal about 35 seconds after that and maybe that was the spark. All sports are emotional and when you see someone you care about carried out on the stretcher and put in back of ambulance it's a lot to think about."

Panther’s Edge Pirates 2-1 in 8A Tournament
Read more: http://www.crookstontimes.com/article/2 ... H/?Start=2


Rachel Kanten
“Chris Borland’s retirement from professional football came as a shock to those who watched the 24-year-old lead the San Francisco 49ers in tackles during his rookie season.

What shocked people most, however, was the reason he was retiring: continued risk of brain injury. It all stemmed from a concussion Borland suffered during training camp in the fall of 2014, which he covered up to obtain a spot on the 49ers roster.

“I just thought to myself, ‘What am I doing? Is this how I’m going to live my adult life, banging my head, especially with what I’ve learned and knew about the dangers?'” Borland said on ESPN’s “Outside the Lines.”

The fact is, National Football League players aren’t the only athletes at risk of a brain injury.

Athletes at any level — whether in school, amateur or professional — are at risk of getting a concussion every time they step on the field, court, ice or mountain.

One student athlete’s concussion story
“Take Rachel Kanten for example.

It was only the first game of the girls’ hockey season in 2012 when the Crookston Pirates junior defenseman collided with another player. She immediately knew something was wrong.

Rachel recalls feeling her helmet move out of place during the hit in the game against Brainerd. An instant headache followed. The Brainerd sports trainer suspected Rachel had sustained a concussion and ordered her to sit out for the rest of the game.

The biggest problem for Chris, Rachel and those who participate in physical activity is that concussions aren’t preventable, even with today’s most advanced equipment. And concussions are dangerous, leading tolifelong consequences that may affect memory, thinking, speech, hearing and vision.

...Fortunately for Rachel, she already completed a pre-season baseline test through RiverView Health, offered free to area athletes as a way to help assess and prevent concussion injuries. Rachel’s second test following the injury left no doubt that she had suffered a concussion.

“I failed all of the categories,’’ Rachel stated. “I just couldn’t focus.”

That test determined that Rachel would be required to rest and sit out of hockey.

Rachel returned to RiverView Health 10 days later to be retested. This time her scores returned to within normal levels. By this time, the headaches and other symptoms she experienced went away, and she could think clearly again.”

Preventing Concussions In Sports, One Student Athlete At A Time
Read more: http://mnhealthycommunities.org/prevent ... at-a-time/

13. "Your Trip Begins at Michigan"
http://www.theinvisibleinjury.net/blog/2015/12/13/13

Sammie Argir
“You have to earn what you get and I think we have the ability with our players this year to do that,” Hyduke said. "It is just that we have to get a little better mental approach to the game and realize it takes a lot of work and nothing is ever going to be given to you. You have to earn everything you get.”

Coming out of the weekend, Hyduke said the Bluejackets have “a lot of bumps and bruises,” and he added that defender Sammie Argir will be out indefinitely with a concussion.

‘Jackets Face PHM
Read more: http://www.hibbingmn.com/sports/jackets ... 8c928.html


More Argir
“When Hibbing/Chisholm girls hockey coach Pete Hyduke opened practice two years ago, he noticed one person missing from the year before, Sammy Argir.

The Bluejacket junior at the time had been an integral part of the Hibbing/Chisholm defensive corps, so Hyduke knew it was going to be a big loss for his team.

The Bluejackets persevered without Argir, but when the 2012-13 season opened, Hyduke was pleasantly surprised because Argir was back in skates and ready to play her senior season with the team.

Right then and there, Hibbing/Chisholm’s defensive unit was going to be better than the previous year.

“Sammy, choosing to not play last year, was a blow to our defensive corps,” Hyduke said. “She was a veteran. She’s not just a hockey player, she’s an athlete. When you look at how well she performs in other sports, you miss athletes when they don’t stay with the team.

“I couldn’t be more elated with Sammy coming back this year.”

There was good reason why Argir needed to take the time off, however.

“I had lost the love for the game,” Argir said. “I had been playing since I was three, then having all of those rough times... During my sophomore year, I had two concussions, then I had Mono. It was harder for me to get going.

“I just decided to take a break and train for track and get ready for that season.”

Argir didn’t get through her track season unscathed, suffering a wrist injury that took some to heal. That affected her running, and she never did get to compete at the Section 7AA Meet.

At about the same time, Argir noticed a change in her attitude about hockey. Was a comeback in the making?

“At the end of the track season, I had an idea, I was thinking about hockey more,” Argir said. “The night before practice started I decided I was going to actually play the next day.”

Her reintroduction back to the game was a little difficult at first.

“It was a slow transition for her,” Hyduke said. “She missed a year, so she had a lot of catching up to do.” Argir agreed.

“The first few days were a little rough, getting back on my feet,” Argir said. “After that it all came back so easily. Most of the stuff we were running, we ran during my sophomore year but it was more fast paced. That made it easier to pick up on it quicker.”

Hyduke wanted Argir on the team not just for her ability on the ice, but for her experience and that fact that she knows what it takes to win, especially being a sprinter on the track team.

“Being the athlete she is, she sees the finish line, and she knows how to go for it,” Hyduke said. “That’s the one thing I knew she would bring to this team, the determination, guts and the will power that it takes to be a sprinter. Once you go down the stretch run, it is a sprint going into playoffs.
“She’s been a vital part of the success of our defense and has played a vital role in the turnaround of our team.”

Argir knows she made the right decision in returning to the sport.

“I missed it a lot,” Argir said. “I’m so happy to be back, to be a part of this team right now. I didn’t know if we’d be at state or not, but I wanted to play and maybe help get them to state.

“I knew we had the potential, with how much skill is on this team.”

Argir Regains Love Of Game
Read more: http://www.hibbingmn.com/sports/argir-r ... 963f4.html


Lilly Rewertz
“Hibbing/Chisholm will be playing short-handed again, as junior Lilly Rewertz is still out, and although it would be nice to have her back on the ice, that injury has allowed other players to step up and deliver.

“She’s a complete player for us, but we’ve had to make some adjustments,” Hyduke said. “The result of any injury is other kids get an opportunity, and that’s what’s happening right now That will make us a stronger, deeper team down the road.

“It gives great experience to some of the kids that might not have gotten that experience. We’ll do what we have to do tonight to the best of our ability. We’ll see where the marbles fall.”

Father, Son Set To Tangle: Lightning Come To Hibbing In Girls Hockey
Read more: http://www.hibbingmn.com/sports/high_sc ... 87ca4.html


Allie Pullar
“Hibbing/Chisholm has found the injury bug as of late. Kyle Fink had a hip flexor, but she came back to play against Warroad.

“No doubt she’s playing in discomfort,” Hyduke said. “She’s a tough kid who knows her limitations. She’s playing as much she’s capable of doing. She played a tough gritty game against Warroad, but we’re being cautious with her.”

Allie Pullar suffered a mild concussion last Saturday, but she’s day-to-day now.

“We’ve got nicks and bruises, but we should be fine,” Hyduke said. “The athletes have to talk to us and be honest. We’ll use them as much as they feel they’re capable of playing. The kids have responded and filled the void.”

Moving Closer To Playoffs
http://www.hibbingmn.com/sports/moving- ... af8c3.html

‘Jackets face PHM
Read more: http://www.hibbingmn.com/sports/jackets ... 8c928.html


More Pullar
“Pullar’s freshman season was chock full of surprises.

“It took me a whole semester to get my legs under me,” Pullar said. “Fortunately, I had the confidence of my teammates and coaches, so I started to play better. I did take a couple of lumps, however.”

Pullar not only had to get used to the speed of the game, but she also had to get used to a new defensive partner, sophomore Brittany Dunkel, who was from Warroad, which was a bitter rival of Hibbing in Section 4A.

“She had given me a concussion in high school,” Pullar said. “But from day one, she was a good partner and a leader for me.”

Going Out In Style
Read more: http://www.hibbingmn.com/sports/going-o ... 2ca5d.html

2015 Gustavus Team
“What's going on in Gustie land?
One broken neck
One broken leg
One separated shoulder
Four concussions"


D3 Hockey Is Back!
http://board.uscho.com/showthread.php?1 ... ck!/page11


Hockey Player Concussion Stereotype
“Iowa State women's basketball player Bridget Carleton's injury is bad enough that Cyclones coach Bill Fennelly isn't entirely sure when she'll be back.

One thing we do know: Carleton will not be on the court when Iowa State hosts Southern at 2 p.m. Sunday at Hilton Coliseum.

Fennelly left a wide-open window as to when his freshman star could return when meeting with reporters Friday afternoon at Hilton Coliseum.
“She’s got about a four-month process ahead of her,” Fennelly said. “She had her first root canal so that’s exciting. She feels better. Obviously not ready to play yet, but we’re hoping it’ll be soon. But, you won’t see her on Sunday.”

The date of Carleton's return remains up in the air after the true freshman went down after taking a gruesome hit to the face in Iowa State’s 86-48 loss to then-No. 15 Duke in the Cancun Challenge on Nov. 27.

“She rolled over and there was blood everywhere,” Fennelly said. “We knew it was bad right off the bat, but it turned out to be a little bit worse than everyone thought.”

Carleton, a 6-foot-1 native of Canada, is averaging 13.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game in four games — all starts — this season. She didn’t play in the final game of the Cancun Challenge and didn’t make the trip with her teammates to Iowa State’s road game at Northern Iowa on Dec. 2 — instead staying back to watch the game with a student-trainer.

“Took eight stitches in her lip and she had some teeth that were kind of moving around so she has to have some oral surgery done and then the concussion part of it goes with that,” Fennelly said. “The main issue was the stuff that happened around her mouth area. So, we had to get that all fixed up.”

Fennelly didn’t provide any more information on the timetable and if the four-month process included her coming back before that, but he did offer hints.

“Hopefully we’ve turned the corner to her coming back and I think we have,” he said.

Despite all the issues that have come up with the injury, Fennelly said Carleton has been trying to come back ahead of schedule.

“I think there’s a little Canadian hockey player in her because she’s always telling me she can go,” Fennelly said. “She told me the day after she got in the Duke game she could go. She couldn’t stand up and she didn’t know what day it was, but she thought she could play.”

Iowa State Freshman Out With Gruesome Injury
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/ ... /76796500/

More on Watchorn
"(Coach) McCloskey said Tara Watchorn has a concussion. He’ll know more on Wednesday, but can’t really predict when she’ll return."

CWHL Boston Blades
Read more: https://mobile.twitter.com/icehockeysti ... 5570887681

More Olivia Curry

Tell us a little about yourself. What has been your experience with sports concussions?

I'm 17 years old and live in Ottawa, Canada. I've grown up playing all different kinds of sports, but my true passion is competitive hockey, which I've played since the age of 5. In the last 4 years, I've had 4 concussions all from hockey. They have all been a result of collisions on the ice with other players, and it wasn't until my last one where I had actually hit my head on the ice.

What were your symptoms?

The symptoms of my first 2 concussions were headaches, dizziness and nausea which had only lasted a week or two. I did not experience the headache and dizziness right after the hit but they came on an hour or two later. The symptoms got more severe by the end of the day and in the days to follow. With my third concussion, I had developed many other symptoms, which were more intense and lasted a lot longer. Light sensitivity, poor concentration, feeling irritable and tired, sore back and neck were all additional symptoms. I was not able to finish the last 4 months of the season and had missed a lot of school. My last concussion was nine months ago and along with all the previously mentioned symptoms, I developed a steady ringing in my ears which I continue to be bothered with.

In the Ottawa Citizen's “Concussion Conundrum” article, you describe your reluctance to tell your parents about your symptoms. What would you tell your younger self about that now? What advice do you have for others about coming forward and reporting symptoms?

After my third concussion, my parents warned me that if I were to get another one, hockey would be over. So I was reluctant to tell them when it had happened again and I continued to play a few more games before I had to stop. However, this time the symptoms were so strong I could not keep it a secret for very long.

If I was able to relive my concussions, I definitely would not have went back onto the ice after receiving any big hit or jolt. Lots of bumps and hits occurred during most of the games, so at times it was very hard to tell if it would lead to injury or not. But knowing what I know now, there is no way I would ever risk it.

My advice to others is: If you think there is any chance you may have a concussion or you hit your head, don't worry about what other people say. Just stay out of the game for your own health. It's really important because it can mess up the rest of your life.

What was your knowledge of head injuries before you suffered your first concussion?

Before my concussions I was not well educated on the signs and symptoms and the damaging effect a concussion could have on your life if not treated properly. When I was younger, I wasn't really worried about playing contact sports. I thought as long as I played safe and wore my protective equipment it wasn't likely that I would sustain any major injuries. Later on I started to see some of my teammates getting concussed and I realized that it was possible no matter what we were wearing.

What was the recovery process like for you?

I spent most of the first days and weeks in a dark room without tv or my cell phone. Not only did I miss not being able to play the sport I loved, I also missed not being with my friends who I used to always be with 5-6 days a week. The time spent was very long, frustrating and depressing. I had to take daily medication and supplements for headaches, to help me sleep and for the ringing in my ears. The rest of my time was spent going to specialists appointments like neuro-ocular therapy, TMJ clinic, physiotherapy, massage and frequent trips to the concussion clinic to name just a few.

When I was finally able to go back to school, I had to go back gradually for I could not tolerate the lights, noise and had a lot of difficulty concentrating and trying to manage my headaches and dizziness in the classroom. In order to try and cope through these days, I had to wear a baseball cap to tolerate the florescent lights and special glasses for the dizziness. I did not go a day without being teased about the cap and glasses. Since people generally don't see the symptoms of a concussion, they do not truly understand what you are going through.

How are you feeling now?

It has been 9 months since my last concussion and I'm still suffering from a constant ringing in my ears. The ringing gets louder and more intense when I'm tired and stressed. I'm also still experiencing headaches, dizziness, pain in my shoulders and neck and poor concentration.

What’s the #BestPractice you’ve picked up since your concussions?

A great coping mechanism I've discovered is meditation. Although at times it takes a great deal of willpower to completely shut down your thoughts, over time I was wanting to do it everyday. It was a great way to deal with my stress and allowed me to become more focused and to clear my mind during chaotic times like exam season.

Do you have any last thoughts or advice that you’d like to share?

Never be ashamed if you think you've received a concussion. I have been teased frequently about the amount of times I've been concussed, but I've learned to shake it off. It is not something to be ashamed of and it does not make you "soft" or a "wuss" Showing the courage to admit and taking the steps to fully recover makes you brave and smart for looking out for your health and your future. You will never look back and regret about missing a game or two by playing it safe. But trust me you will look back and regret if you do return to play after being concussed.

Hockey Player Olivia Shares Her Concussion Story
Read more: https://www.triaxtec.com/stories/hockey ... ion-story/