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Kat Sweet
“As I look around the room, what strikes me most is how I recognize so many of you guys out there and how great it’s been the past four years.” — Harvard tri-captain Kat Sweet. She thanks one player for causing her first concussion.

Harvard Wins Top ECACHL Women’s Honors
Read more: http://www.uscho.com/2005/03/11/harvard ... ns-honors/


Karolina Urban
“The seminar also heard from Karolina Urban, captain of the University of Toronto's women's Varsity Blues hockey team, who has had three concussions while playing -- the first one from a direct hit to the head, although women’s hockey is supposed to have no body checking -- and two more which have not been direct head hits. In none of the cases was a penalty called, she said. Toronto’s Varsity women’s team had 11 concussions last winter.”

Concussion: the hidden injury
Read more: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/h ... cle558516/


Katie Weatherston
Katie Weatherston lost her spot in the 2006 Olympics due to concussion symptoms
“When Katie Weatherston caught an edge and fell during a game of pick-up hockey two years ago, the Olympic gold medalist knew she had sustained another concussion.

Her head wasn't right; she felt foggy and dizzy. The symptoms didn't go away and Weatherston, a member of the team that won gold in Turin in 2006, lost her chance to make it to the Vancouver Olympics.


"I still get symptoms," the 27-year-old says. "I've been in the postconcussion phase for two years."

Females More Susceptible to Concussion, Studies Suggest
Read more: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/h ... cle573169/


Bethany Petersen
“Minnesota freshman defenseman Bethany Petersen is awaiting word from doctors about her hockey future following a scary incident in Saturday’s loss to No. 1 Dartmouth in Hanover, N.H.

Petersen tumbled into the boards and remained, according to reports, unconscious for as long as 15-25 minutes. After she awoke, she was given oxygen and taken to a nearby hospital for observation. She was released Sunday and able to attend the Gophers’ second game of the weekend at Dartmouth.

Petersen has a history of concussions, and it is possible doctors will tell her never to play competitively again.

“The problem is, she has a history of concussions so she’ll have to go through a battery of tests when she gets home and see our doctors,” Minnesota coach Laura Halldorson said to the Minnesota Daily after Sunday’s game. “And I think the fact that she was unconscious for 25 minutes — that’s not a good sign.”

Future in Doubt for Gophers’ Petersen Following Concussion
Read more: http://www.uscho.com/2000/12/11/future- ... oncussion/

3 High School girls

Taylor Willliamson
“My first exposure to concussions came from a story my grandpa told me. One of his former players, Bill Masterton, not only received a concusion but actually died 24 hours later while playing for the Minnesota North Stars.

My personal experience with concussions came in December of 2011 during a girl's varsity hockey game that I was playing in.

Fortunately I recovered but not before I went through the full gamut of the symptoms.”
Transcript
Read more: https://prezi.com/79fmkfv8jxgc/untitled-prezi/

More Williamson
“A December concussion knocked Williamson out of four games and showed Slominski “how much we missed her in the locker room as well as on the ice. We have a pretty young team, and there is a presence about Taylor. She knows the right things to say at the right times, and the kids are so attentive.”

The concussion was the second of two recent injuries. Hip surgery last May kept her out of competition for about six months. Doctors shaved the ball of her right femur and stitched a partly torn labrum. Williamson spent six weeks on crutches and lost about nine pounds of muscle.

“I was kind of getting freaked out wondering when I was going to get better,” she said. “That was the most I’ve ever been away from the game. But I matured; I found I’m stronger and more determined than I thought.”

Though she estimated playing at “85 or 90 percent” this season, Williamson gained a more full skating stride after surgery and as a result, became faster.”
Rivals on Edina's Williamson: 'Taylor can end a game'
http://www.startribune.com/rivals-on-ed ... 292136411/


Darby Flatley
“Freshman Minnetonka forward Darby Flatley was injured late in the game after being run into the boards by an Armstrong player. She was later diagnosed with a concussion.

Skippers Vault Into Section 6AA Final
Read more: http://assets.ngin.com/attachments/docu ... 09-10.docx


Erin Heffernan
“WORTHINGTON -- As far as injuries go, the Worthington girls' hockey team has had terrible luck.

With three players already banged up, the misfortune spread to off the ice last week, when a husky tried to bite forward Betsy Thompson in the leg.

"I don't know what it is," Trojans' head coach Ken Karwoski lamented. "We just can't catch a break."

Thompson and the Trojans were bitten by a different breed on Saturday -- the Bulldogs of St. Peter/LeSeuer-Henderson/Montgomery-Lonsdale, who blanked WHS 8-0.

Defender Erin Heffernan suffered a cracked skull in a game two weeks ago, so Karwoski moved Thompson, usually a forward, back to defense in Heffernan's place.

That took some bite out of the Trojans' offense, which only managed eight shots on goal.

"It hurts taking Betsy (off of offense), one of the leading scorers on the team," Karwoski said. "She's a good skater, and she can skate well backwards, so we put her back on 'D'."

Heffernan's injury was only the latest in a string of WHS casualties.

Saturday was the first game back for two rehabilitating Trojans, co-captain Nicole Kremer and assistant captain Lexi Standafer.

Kremer dislocated her shoulder a month-and-a-half ago, and Standafer had been out with a bruised tailbone.”
PREP HOCKEY: Trojans fall to St. Peter
Read more: http://www.dglobe.com/content/prep-hock ... l-st-peter

4 Div III players

Julie York
“If championships are won with defense then Concordia should once again be at the top of the league. The Cobbers return a pair of outstanding shot blockers. Junior Maddie Haroldson (Sartell, Minn.) and sophomore Julie York (Bismarck, N.D.) have each proved they can carry the team on their shoulders when the offense is having a hard time finding the net. Both goalies played in at least eight games last year and both posted goals against averages under 2.40. Haroldson led the team in wins and logged over 800 minutes between the pipes. She has an impressive 2.35 goals against average in her career as a Cobber. York was named to the All-MIAC Honorable Mention Team in 2007-08 after posting a 1.50 GAA in her six conference games. She would have been third in the MIAC in goals against average and save percentage had she not suffered a concussion that kept from playing the minimum number of games to qualify for the statistical leaders.”

2008-09 MIAC Women's Hockey Season Preview
Read more: http://www.miacathletics.com/sports/wic ... v0809.html


Laura Vannelli
“Gustavus Adolphus College senior defender Laura Vannelli (Apple Valley, Minn.) scored a power play goal at 8:55 of the second period to tie the score at 1-1 against No. 9 Wis.-Superior on Friday, Dec. 14 in St. Peter, Minn. The Gusties, who are ranked No. 8, added another goal in the third period and went on to claim the important 2-1 non-conference victory. Vannelli, who's goal came with :04 left on the power play, was playing in her first game after suffering a concussion two weeks ago that forced her to miss four games. She had played in 87 consecutive games at Gustavus prior her injury. Vannelli has three goals this season all of which have been scored on the power play. The Gusties are currently 9-1-0 overall and 6-0-0 in MIAC play.”

Athlete of the Week
Read more: http://www.miacathletics.com/sports/wic ... _week.html


Lauren Bazzachini
“Bazzachini wants to give the are a taste of what Division III women’s hockey is all about because he wants to crack into recruiting area players. St. Olaf came up last year so this was the second year of that venture.

All I know is that it was nice to see him again. I got a chance to meet his youngest daughter as well. She was a member of the team, but a concussion has ended her season, but hopefully, not her career (but that might be the case).”

NHL is back; stay away
Read more: http://m.hibbingmn.com/sports/nhl-is-ba ... l?mode=jqm


Alexa Jacobsen
“Alexa Jacobsen last scored a goal for the St. Norbert College women's hockey team three years ago.

Her name hasn't appeared in a box score since, but Jacobsen has continued to be an integral part of the young program's growth and success.

After sustaining a career-ending concussion in the Green Knights' final game of their inaugural season, Jacobsen found different ways to make an impact for her team off the ice as a volunteer manager.”

Women's hockey: Jacobsen still integral at SNC, 3 years after career-ending concussion
Read more: http://www.wisconsinrapidstribune.com/a ... concussion

3 more hockey's daughters

Stephie Balmer
“Stephie Balmer skated up her wing, eye on the play, when an opposing player smoked her square on, a forearm in the Leaside Wildcat's face for good measure. Balmer was jolted off her feet backward, cracking her head on the ice. But she got up, jumped back into her shift, finished the game, then played a second game later that day.

The 15-year-old seemed fine until, two days later, she fainted while walking home from school and ended up in Sunnybrook's emergency ward.
"I thought it was nothing," said the midget `A' forward of that big hit and who, three weeks later, is slowly working her way back into practices and games.

"I had no idea I had a concussion."

And she's not alone, since head trauma is a poorly understood part of female hockey.

Balmer is one of hockey's broken daughters, a growing group of players who are sustaining concussions in a virtual vacuum, unaware that other girls and women – from novices to Olympic champions like Jennifer Botterill, playing for Canada in tomorrow's Four Nations Cup final – are being hurt.”

Worrisome trend in women's hockey
Female hockey players suffer concussions at twice the rate of male counterparts, according to some studies. The question is: Why?
Read more: http://www.thestar.com/life/health_well ... ockey.html


Carmen Baker
“Carmen Baker, a 17-year-old goalie for Leaside's second midget `A' team, said she would not leave an important game if she suspected she had a head injury.

"I'm very competitive, I would want to finish my own game," said Baker, who was concussed in grade school while playing outdoor shinny without a helmet.

"It's like any athlete; it's `Tape me up coach, I want to keep going.' So, if it's your head, your leg, your knee, you just want to keep playing.”

Worrisome trend in women's hockey
Female hockey players suffer concussions at twice the rate of male counterparts, according to some studies. The question is: Why?
Read more: http://www.thestar.com/life/health_well ... ockey.html


Cass Breukelman
“University of Ottawa Gee-Gees winger Cass Breukelman was concussed twice last season. The first resulted from a hit from behind, which drove her face into the glass as she battled for the puck behind the net. Breukelman said that kind of physical force is not uncommon.

"We have tempers too and it can get really rough in the corners," said the second-year nursing student from Thunder Bay.

"It's do or die, almost. You go into the corner, you want the puck and you're going to give all you have to get the puck. Sometimes, girls just go too far."

But if girls go too far and there's a chance of head trauma, why do players like Breukelman, whose second concussion happened when she tripped in practice, risk brain injury for hockey?

"Hockey is pretty much my life," said Breukelman. "Ever since I was young, I wanted to go away to university and live the dream. I couldn't live without it. It's part of my life and that's why I'm scared now; I realize I have to take better care of myself and I want to finish my university hockey career."

Worrisome trend in women's hockey
Female hockey players suffer concussions at twice the rate of male counterparts, according to some studies. The question is: Why?
Read more: http://www.thestar.com/life/health_well ... ockey.html

2 Coaches

Kristi King
“King tallied 150 career points for Stillwater and headed to Maine. Feeling homesick, she transferred to Bemidji State after one season. She suffered a career-ending concussion in the season finale as a sophomore and returned to the Twin Cities to finish her degree. She plans to graduate from Bethel University in December 2014 with a business marketing major and communications minor.”

New Centennial hockey coach Kristi King doubles up
Read more: http://www.startribune.com/new-centenni ... 208400661/


Colleen Harris
“Colleen Harris recently stepped down from her post as Massachusetts-Boston women’s head coach.

Harris fell on the ice after a game at Norwich late last season and reportedly, has not recovered fully to come back and coach.

“Unfortunately, Coach Harris is no longer at UMass Boston due to health issues,” said a UMB spokesman in an email to USCHO.com. “The fall at Norwich was the reason why she could not return to the team. We are currently in the process of hiring an interim head coach. The announcement of the successful candidate will be made within the next couple of weeks.”

‘Health issues’ lead to Massachusetts-Boston women’s coach Harris stepping down
Read more: http://www.uscho.com/2015/09/01/health- ... ping-down/

On the local front here are a few more:

Jordan Chancellor
“Blake forwards Karlie Lund and Jordan Chancellor heard their names announced before Saturday’s championship game but could not skate out to join teammates.

They stood together behind the bench. Lund’s arm hung in a sling to take pressure off a broken collarbone, while Chancellor sported aviator sunglasses because of light sensitivity after a concussion.”

Lineup Changes Pick Up The Slack For Blake
Read more: http://www.mngirlshockeyhub.com/news_ar ... _id=982617


Lakeville North Girls Hockey
“Concussions. Broken collarbones. Flu bug. Name the ailment, and chances are Lakeville North's girls' hockey team has seen some form of it this season.”

From North To South
Read more: http://www.mngirlshockeyhub.com/news_ar ... h-to-south


Anna Pate
“In nets, senior Anna Pate has been working her way back after suffering a concussion early in the season. She missed a handful of weeks, but has returned to the starting role. Pate is 5-5-1, has a goals-against average of 3.44 and a save percentage of .890.

"She's getting stronger every day," Rodefeld said. "Concussions are an evil thing. I don't know if she's at 100 percent right now, but she's the closest she’s been all year.”

Seeds Are Often Irrelevant In Section 5AA Hockey
Read more: http://www.bulletin-news.com/articles/2 ... k-16F9OLCQ


Claire Shaw, Emile Tappe, Kaelen Geisser + 4 Additional Woodbury Royals
“A number of athletes at East Ridge, Park and Woodbury high schools have been forced to sit out games or weeks, or have been sidelined for the entire year due to concussions.

The Woodbury girls hockey team has been hit particularly hard with concussions.

Clare Shaw, a Div. I prospect, has had her hockey career ended because of concussions. After suffering a concussion as a sophomore Shaw sat out her junior season. Getting ready for her senior year this past summer Shaw suffered another concussion and was advised to quit playing hockey. Woodbury head coach Shantel Rivard said Shaw would have been the team's best player "by far."

Also, current Woodbury junior goalie Emile Tappe has been sidelined for the year with concussions. Tappe started every game for the Royals last season as a sophomore. Her absence has forced the Royals to start sophomore Kaelan Geisser in the net this year, though she hadn't had any previous varsity experience. Also, senior Casey White, the Royals' starting soccer goalie, is the No. 1 goalie for the Woodbury junior varsity team this season even though she never played hockey before this winter.

In one instance this season, with Tappe and Geisser both out with a concussions, sophomore Mo Oien played goalie for the Royals although she had never played the position before. In the game, a 6-3 loss to East Ridge, Oien took over for the injured Geisser for a full period after Woodbury's Molly Burke, a senior defender, took the net with just a blocker and glove for a portion of the second period. Oien has also stepped up and started for the Royals in a 13-2 loss to Mounds View.

"It's been a big blow," Rivard said. "It has been chaotic. We've never seen anything like it in our lives. This whole year has been completely different."

In addition to Shaw and Tappe, Woodbury has had four other players miss games with concussions.

"It's obviously not like it used to be. I don't remember anyone every getting a concussion, though they obviously did," said Rivard, who coached college hockey for 10 years prior to joining Woodbury. "As time goes on we're learning more. People's heads have gone to mush. It's important. These are young people's heads. Most of these athletes won't go on to play professional sports or even college sports, so their brain is the most important thing. You have to do your due diligence. You only have one brain and you have to be cautious."

Concussions: Enough To Make Your Head Spin
Read more: http://www.woodburybulletin.com/content ... -head-spin

From Feb 2011 :no one on the ice is immune from an accident.

Buck Kochevar
“A girls high school hockey coach in the south metro fell during practice and was rushed into surgery for a skull fracture and internal bleeding.

Lakeville North head coach Buck Kochevar hit his head Monday night while getting his team ready for Tuesday night's playoff game against Farmington in Owatonna, according to a web page set up on caringbridge.org.

Kochevar was flown by helicopter from Fairview Ridges in Burnsville to the University of Minnesota Medical Center Fairview, wrote Missy Tousignant, a nurse at Cedar Park Elementary School in Apple Valley.

Kochevar, 45, was in surgery for two hours and then moved to intensive care, where he will remain until he is "out of the woods," Tousignant added. "I did see and chat with him before I left, and he gave me a big thumbs up!"

Lakeville North Coach Fractures Skull
http://www.mngirlshockeyhub.com/news_ar ... res-skull-

More Minnesota stories:

Morgan Morse
“When Morgan Morse was knocked to the ice late in the second period Thursday against No. 1 Eden Prairie, coaches, teammates and of course her family collectively held their breath. She quickly got up and returned to the play.

For the Chanhassen junior, after missing a year and a half of hockey with concussion-like symptoms, any hit, bump or fall could mean the end of her career in a sport she loves more than just about anything else.

It’s that fact that made her decision to continue to play one she knew she had to make.

“When I got hurt as a freshman, I was originally told I wouldn’t play again by my first neurologist. We went and got a second opinion. I knew I wasn’t ready to give it up. I couldn’t imagine my life without it. There was a lot of help from my parents and my friends, and when I got that second opinion and it was that I could play, all I could think about was starting to work out again and be ready to play this season,” Morse said.”

Storm Hawks Give No. 1 Eden Prairie a Fight
Read more: http://www.swnewsmedia.com/storm-hawks- ... 6591b.html


Tori Thompson and Kate Valentine
“The Rockets, who are ranked No. 16 in Class AA, have outscored their last three opponents 18-0, and they've done that without the help of senior captains Tori Thompson and Kate Valentine, who have been out since suffering concussions Jan. 15. Both could return against Red Wing.”

Huge Games Saturday for Area Teams
Read more: http://www.postbulletin.com/sports/loca ... 89926.html


Nicole Lund
“With the section playoffs starting Feb. 12, Bartholdi was still unafraid to experiment in the Wayzata game. He split the goaltending chores between juniors Sarah Gustafson and Nicole Lund.

"Some people probably thought I was nuts to change goaltenders because we had a shutout going," Bartholdi said. "But I wanted to look at [Lund] against a good team, since she has had trouble with injuries."

Lund, who missed most of last season with a leg injury and has missed time this season due to a mild concussion, finished out the game as the 'Jacks skated to victory. It was a quality win against yet another quality opponent.”

CEC Girls Score Big Victory Against Wayzata
Read more: http://www.pinejournal.com/content/cec- ... st-wayzata


Kim Ergen
“MOOSE LAKE, Minn. (AP) — The Moose Lake Police Department is investigating a fight during a high school hockey game that temporarily left a girl partially paralyzed.

Kim Ergen, 15, of Moose Lake was among those vying for a puck in front of the International Falls net in the final seconds of a Jan. 26 game.

A fight ensued, punches were allegedly thrown and Ergen lay motionless on the ice once the period expired. No penalty was called on the play.

Moose Lake coach Joe Mohelsky said Ergen was briefly paralyzed from the waist down. She was later diagnosed with a concussion at a local hospital, but was otherwise fine.

"It was very scary, possibly the scariest experience I've ever seen in a hockey situation," Mohelsky said. "I've never seen anything like this, even when I played. It was unbelievable to witness."

International Falls coach Bruce Elson said some of his players threw punches, but he said Ergen was not hit.
"It was an emotionally charged game," he said. "Someone started something, I don't know who.”

Fight at Girls Hockey Game Leads to Criminal Probe
Read more: http://m.asumag.com/dailynews/fight-gir ... inal-probe
Associated Press Article ran in Duluth News Tribune
Read more: http://www.ushsho.com/forums/viewtopic. ... concussion

Still more Mn stories:

Angela Boreen
“Simley junior goaltender Kristen Jung shut out the Mahtomedi offense, coming up with 20 total saves. The Zephyrs’ sophomore goalie, Angela Boreen, had a great game on the other end of the ice, tallying 28 saves on 30 shots.

“She’s been solid all year, Taylor noted of the sophomore.

Boreen has played well in net all year for Mahtomedi, but was playing only her third game after sitting out the previous six due to a concussion. In 13 games this season, Boreen has saved more than 90 percent of shots she has faced.”

Zephyr Girls Hockey Looks to Future as Season Ends in Sections
Read more: http://www.presspubs.com/white_bear/spo ... 07313.html


Kati Rasmussen
“The Titans skated to victory last week without two top players, goalie Kaitlyn Rolando with a right leg injury, and defense regular Kati Rasmussen with a concussion.”

Tartan Girls' Hockey Six Upend Richfield
Read more: http://www.eastsidereviewnews.com/conte ... lI63UsYSmY


Elena Basill
“Elena Basill, St. Louis Park, jr., F: Basill, who is recovered from a severe concussion suffered two years ago, already has seven goals and three points in three games this season.”

Two Stories Required to Catch All of the West Metro Girls' Hockey Buzz
Read more: http://www.startribune.com/two-stories- ... 283148861/


Lindsay Roethke
“In a scary moment with just over a minute left, Lindsay Roethke appeared to be hit from behind and crashed full speed into the boards, hitting her head and both knees,” said Dahlof. “She was motionless on the ice for over five minutes, but was able to skate off with help. She was diagnosed with a concussion.”

Roseau Keeps Delano-Rockford Girls Hockey Out of State Tournament With 3-0 Win
Read more: http://pressnews.com/2014/02/20/roseau- ... h-3-0-win/


Taylor Olin
“Despite greater awareness, concussions are still a risk for youth athletes and can have a big impact on teens who play sports while also going to school.

Taylor Olin, 15, of Northfield, Minn., suffered a concussion during a Lakeville South hockey game on Dec. 6. She recently took part in the inaugural meeting in Bloomington of a new support group for teens and their parents to talk about their struggles with concussions.

"The headaches, they hurt a lot. And then just getting back to normal life [is challenging] because everything's harder to do," she said. "I think a lot of people think you're just faking it or that it doesn't hurt anymore."

Three months after her concussion, Taylor still has headaches every day and is behind on her schoolwork. But she says it makes her feel better to know she's not alone and can get the help she needs.

"It was really nice to have someone who understands what you're going through and that can actually relate to your experiences," she said. "People say they know how you feel, but they don't get just how hard going through a day is.”

Hockey Officials, Parents Place Greater Emphasis on Reducing Injuries, Concussions
Read more: http://www.mprnews.org/story/2012/03/08 ... uth-hockey

3 girls from Stillwater:

Carlie Hart
“The third-period spark followed a line change during the intermission as Carlie Hart rejoined a line with Jane Vezina and Sierra Smith for the first time since suffering a concussion in the Edina holiday tournament. The Ponies worked her back into the lineup with Wiegand and Taylor Gulenchyn through the first two periods.

“The big key to this game was getting Carlie Hart back,” Ponies coach Tony Scheid said. “After playing her every-other shift the first two periods, we had clearance from the trainer to put her back on a regular shift and the third period we went back to the way things were before.”

Ponies Turn Back Hastings
Read more: http://stillwatergazette.com/2014/01/10 ... -hastings/


Dana Almquist
“Okerstrom scored midway through the first period on an assist from Dana Almquist, who was cleared to return just prior to the game after missing some time with a concussion. Sara Bustad increased the lead to 2-0 at 12:29 of the second period on a pass from defenseman Katie Casto. The Ponies outshot Hastings 17-7 in the second period and 38-20 in the game.”

Ponies Pull Away From Hastings
Read more: http://stillwatergazette.com/2013/01/08 ... -hastings/


Lauren Greeder
“Stillwater played without three players due to injury or illness and several of those in the lineup are also battling flu-like symptoms, which did sideline Carlie Hart. Lauren Greeder missed the game with a concussion following a check from behind in Saturday’s game against Park and Georgia Eger has issues with her quadriceps.”

Ponies Rally Past Cretin-Derham Hall
Read more: http://stillwatergazette.com/2012/12/19 ... rham-hall/

An unfortunate collision leads to serious consequences:

Former Burnsville Player, Gopher Standout and Current Edina Girls Hockey Coach.

Laura Slominski
“This story has a very happy ending. Well, actually, we won't know how it truly ends until the hockey season ends. But we know how it began. With a broken neck.

Laura Slominski was excited as winter and her sixth season as head coach of the Edina High School girls team neared. The Hornets are one of the state's top programs, with four Class 2A state tournament appearances since 2009 and state runner-up finishes in 2010 and 2011.

Everything changed, however, when Slominski played in a women's fall hockey league game on Sept. 29. She and another player were racing for the puck, they collided, and Slominski flew back-first into the boards. She knows she was lucky. There are plenty of what ifs; for example, what if she had gone in head-first and suffered a spinal injury?

Her spine was OK, but her neck was broken in three places on the C5 vertebrae. She underwent surgery, spent a week in the hospital, has been wearing a neck brace since then and is unable to skate or do any on-ice coaching this season. But again, she knows she was lucky.

"It gives you a new appreciation for people who have gone through similar situations but with much worse results," she said. "The first time being able to get up and walk, it was a whole new level of appreciation for me."

She will return to teaching math at Edina later this week, which will be a big step in getting back to normal. The neck brace should come off for good sometime in January, when the only physical sign of what Slominski has endured will be a great big scar on the back of her neck.”

A Broken Neck, A Season Of Transition And Life Lessons
Read more: http://www.mshsl.org/mshsl/johnsjournal.asp?post=1195

Next installment of the former Yale women's hockey player:

http://www.theinvisibleinjury.net/blog/ ... -you-worse

Here is an update for Kathleen Rogan congratulations and good luck on your future. Her story on the concussion is below this release.

Kathleen Rogan
"I feel extremely fortunate to have been chosen for this scholarship," said Rogan.

"This honor will allow me to pursue my dream of becoming a nurse. After going through my concussion issues, I felt that nursing would be something that I could do in helping others, the way nurses and other medical professionals helped me overcome my injuries. Nursing will give me the capability to be involved in a patient's treatment and recovery process. This a big honor, with a lot of deserving people and I think the WCHA has a lot of tremendous student-athletes. I feel extremely fortunate to have been chosen for this scholarship and this means a lot in that I can continue my future without having to worry about the financial side of things."

Rogan said that she intends to attend nursing school beginning this fall.”

Rogan Selected for WCHA Post-Graduate Scholarship
Read more: http://www.msumavericks.com/news/2015/5 ... print=true

Kathleen Rogan
“2014-15: Appeared in 23 games and finished third in scoring totalling 4-9--13...WCHA Scholar Athlete honoree for the fourth time in career becoming just the ninth person ever to do so...WCHA All-Academic Team member...Produced three assists against St. Cloud State on 2/2/15...Tallied 55 shots on goal...Had season shortened due to concussions.”

Senior Player Bio
Read more: http://www.msumavericks.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=5140

5 more stories

Kaliya Johnson
“Suffering a concussion is usually a bad thing for a hockey player. But for Kaliya Johnson, it proved to be a blessing in disguise.

Johnson, a defenseman on Boston College’s women’s hockey team, suffered a concussion with debilitating symptoms that lasted beyond four months.

An MRI done before the start of BC’s 2014-15 Hockey East season revealed the true source of Johnson’s problem: a Chiari malformation, a structural condition of the brain and spinal cord that contributes to a smaller than normal space for the brain, pressing it downward. In many cases, people aren’t aware they have the ailment.

“Basically, my brain was sitting below the base of my skull. It was something I was born with,” Johnson told me recently. “I had symptoms all my life – little things like pressure headaches, getting migraines. I thought it was normal for me.”

In September, doctors performed surgery that “opened up some space and removed the first vertebrae in my neck, so there was more room to breathe back there,” Johnson said.”

Surgery Behind Her, an Eagle Looks to Soar to NCAA Title, Winter Olympics Slot
Read more: http://colorofhockey.com/tag/kaliya-johnson/


Ashley Paulson
“UND junior forward Ashley Paulson is giving up hockey because of concussion problems, women's coach Brian Idalski said Wednesday.

Paulson will stay on the roster and continue to travel with the team on road trips, though.

"It's just not worth the risk of the quality of life down the road," Idalski said, "when you're not sure what the impact would be if she has another concussion.”

Paulson Forced to Quit
Read more: http://www.grandforksherald.com/content ... orced-quit

Tara Watchorn
“However, senior defenseman Tara Watchorn and redshirt freshman defenseman Caroline Campbell will most likely miss this weekend’s action because of injuries.

Watchorn suffered a concussion toward the end of the Canadian national team camp in August when she fell on a hockey stick that was left on the ice.

“She felt fine, but there’s been definitely at least a couple of weeks, maybe close to three weeks, where there’s been lingering effects,” Durocher said. “This day in age they’re going to be very careful, very professional about how they deal with getting clearance.”

Women’s hockey welcomes early competition
Read more: http://dailyfreepress.com/2011/09/29/wo ... mpetition/


Vanessa Welten
“Freshman Vanessa Welten (Crysler, Ontario) scored her second goal of the season at St. Lawrence, unassisted, going coast-to-coast for the score. It was her first game back from a head injury.”

Team Notes: Brown Continues Road Trip at No. 2 Cornell and Colgate
Read more: http://www.ecachockey.com/women/members ... ateCornell


Brooklyn Langlois
“UMaine sophomore defender Jessica Hall had to be helped off the ice less than a minute later with an apparent knee injury after she collided with Allen along the boards. Hall didn’t suit up for Sunday’s game, adding to the Black Bears’ injury list that already includes freshman defender Brooklyn Langlois, who hasn’t played since Nov. 9 as she continues to suffer from post-concussion symptoms.”
Dartmouth College Sweeps UMaine Women’s Hockey in Alfond
Read more: http://mainecampus.com/2012/12/10/dartm ... in-alfond/

5 more stories on concussions

Blayre Turnbull
“Senior forward Blayre Turnbull will be a game-time decision after leaving last Friday’s game with a head injury, but the Badgers still will have seven different players with at least five goals scored at their disposal.”

Wisconsin Opens Four-Game Trip Against St. Cloud State
Read more: http://m.host.madison.com/daily-cardina ... 4bec7.html


Jen Schoullis
Question: “The IIHF World Championships in Burlington, Vermont marked the first time you were on a team that competed for a world title in the US. Was it exciting to be part of a team that played in front of the US fans?

Schoullis: “I missed this year’s World Championship due to a concussion, but nothing would be better than playing in front of a home crowd.”

An Interview With… Jen Schoullis
Read more: http://pointstreaksites.com/view/cwhl/n ... news_54224


Nadine Muzerall and Ronda Curtin
“Last weekend's 4-2 upset of the defending national champion Minnesota women's hockey team by Ohio State left a lot of questions on the minds of players and fans alike.

The most important of which seemed to be "where's Muzzy?"

Nadine Muzerall, the Gophers scoring machine, watched events unfold from the bench due to a concussion she received during a game against St. Cloud State two weekends ago.”

To add insult to injury, sophomore Ronda Curtin will also be enjoying the view from the sidelines due to a concussion she suffered during last Sunday's loss.”

Minnesota Misses Muzerall On Ice and On Scoreboard
Read more: https://www.mndaily.com/2000/10/26/minn ... scoreboard


Tori Pasquariello
“Maine’s sixth senior, forward Tori Pasquariello, was medically disqualified from play after concussion issues during her first year season, and has not played since.”

Maine Handily Defeated by Huskies
Read more: https://centafielda17.wordpress.com/2015/02/

This hit close to home for this coach, a very good article to read

The Daughter of St. Lawrence University Coach Chris Wells + Some SLU Players
“One of the scariest injuries for a hockey player is one that often isn’t seen by a coach, trainer or fans.

Concussions have led to early career endings for well-known hockey players like Eric Lindros, but the injury often occurs during plays that don’t appear to be harmful to the head.

Concussion don’t happen only when a player falls and hits his head on the ice, or is slammed into the boards as his head bashes against the glass. Sometimes the severe jerking of the head, as in a whiplash injury, can cause a concussion and a player may not even realize he has one until up to a day later.

That’s why college hockey officials have become more vigilant in treating concussions, particularly since the more times players experience one, the more they jeopardize their career or quality of life.

This year University of Minnesota women’s hockey standout Amanda Kessel is sitting out the entire season because of a concussion. Women’s hockey does not allow checking, but in fact a seven-year NCAA study determined that women’s hockey players suffer concussions at a greater rate than male hockey players and football players combined.

“We’ve had kids in our programs over the last couple years that had to stop playing because of concussions,” said St. Lawrence University women’s hockey coach Chris Wells. “They made good decisions not to (play). The sport is great, but that’s not one of the things that is great about it. There’s nothing great about sitting in a dark room and not being able to watch TV, read a book, see a light. No activity is worth going through all that. What we do is a lot of fun, but it’s not worth having it affect your life.”

The 2010 NCAA concussion study noted that because women play fewer contact sports than male athletes they are more likely to suffer from whiplash-style concussions. The study concluded this happens because male athletes instinctively will brace for impact whereas the female athlete is not expecting it.

The concussion issue has hit home for Wells. One of his daughters has stopped playing hockey because of concussions, which has made him vigilant when it comes to St. Lawrence’s players.

“It is something that is being treated very seriously, and it should be,” Wells said. “We are very cautious and depending on the circumstance, we generally will hold a kid out even an extra week beyond what protocol will be.”

Players’ Heads in Teams’ Hands
Read more: http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/arti ... /141028480

3 more links for 5 players

Jessica Hawkinson
“During my years of hockey, my teams have gone to State 7 times. I had high hopes of just as much success at Culver Academy. I left Culver Academy in January 2014 after receiving a concussion that took me out of the season the first weekend of games. I have decided to not play hockey after that concussion.

Aside from hockey, I also play lacrosse. My position is attack. I have turned my focus on lacrosse since leaving my dream of playing hockey.”

Recruiting Profile
Read more: http://www.ncsasports.org/womens-ice-ho ... -hawkinson


Janie Groetsch. Jacque Rogers, and Kayla Martinez
“The Honeybaked Tier I 16U girls’ team reached the state finals before losing twice to Little Caesars, 4-3 and 4-1. Just making it that far was considered an accomplishment, however, given the abnormal amount of concussions team members suffered this season.

“We have had three separate concussions,” coach Rob Robinson said. “That’s a lot. I think in the many years of coaching I maybe had one at the most on any given year.”

The latest concussion occurred during the team’s second round-robin game. Janie Groetsch’s head hit the boards as she was battling. The injury forced her to miss the rest of the tournament.

“She was very disappointed because she’s a competitor,” Robinson said. “She’s back home now. There is no reason for her to be here. She needs to relax and get healthy.”

Goaltender Jacque Rogers and defensemen Kayla Martinez, the other two Honeybaked players who had concussions, have since returned to the line-up.”

Honeybaked 16U Thrives Despite Losing Players to Concussions
Read more: http://nationals.usahockey.com/news_art ... _id=715253


Olivia Curry
“On the day of Olivia Curry’s fourth concussion last October, the arena was so warm that fog hung over the ice where her St. Paul High School team was playing hockey. “No one could really see where they were going,” the 16-year-old recalls.

Curry had just come over the boards and was skating hard to join the play when she accidentally collided head-to-head with an opposing player. She fell, banging her head hard on the ice.

“I sat on the bench for a period, then went back and kept playing, because I thought I was fine,” says Curry, who suffered her first hockey concussion at age 12. “I had a bit of a headache, but I wanted to keep playing because I knew if I stopped, I wouldn’t be able to play hockey any more.”

By that evening, her headaches were much worse. She was nauseous and dizzy. Her ears were ringing. Bright lights bothered her.

After her third concussion in 2013, Curry’s parents warned her: one more and hockey is history. So she said nothing and kept playing. “My symptoms just got worse and worse until my parents noticed.”

Curry’s reluctance to disclose her concussion is not uncommon. As a just-concluded inquest heard, 17-year-old Rowan Stringer remained silent about her own concussion and died of “second impact syndrome” during a high school rugby match in May 2013.

Young athletes, says Curry, “want to keep playing. They don’t want to quit and they don’t want to seem soft or weak.” That remains “a big problem” for youth sports leagues, says Dr. Charles Tator, an internationally renowned expert on sports concussions.

But there are signs that attitudes are starting to shift, Tator says. “Most kids are pretty smart. They’re starting to get the message that they only get one brain, and it’s your job to keep it healthy.”

Curry, for one, understands that now. After her last concussion was diagnosed, she was off school for a month. When she returned, she attended half days and had to wear a baseball cap in order to tolerate the school’s fluorescent lighting.

Seven months later, she’s still recovering. The lights can still trigger headaches and the ringing in her ears is constant. “I’m not returning to sports for a very long time,” she says.

Curry has become a campaigner for concussion awareness, starting a website (www.conqueringconcussions.org) and raising money for a concussion clinic opened last December by the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario.”

The Concussion Conundrum: Getting Young Athletes to Disclose When They're Hurt
Read more: http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-new ... heyre-hurt

5 more articles

Tori Norland
“The Rogers girls hockey team took a drubbing from North Wright County and had two senior captains injured Tuesday evening at home.

NWC, the Mississippi 8 leader, beat the Royals 9-1, with Dani Sibley scoring three goals and Kaleigh Hamann two, at Rogers.

Alicia Nelson, a forward with nine goals and 11 assists, suffered a broken arm in a mid-ice collision and will miss the rest of the season.

Tori Noland, a defenseman, suffered a mild concussion when she was in a prone position and was struck by a knee. She’s expected to miss about a week, said coach Scott Childers.

Both mishaps occurred in the second period.

“We had a goofy start, giving up some soft goals, and I had to make a goaltending change,” said Childers. “It was a crazy night with the injuries and the score so lopsided.”

Rogers Girls Have 2 Captains Hurt in 9-1 Loss to NWC
Read more: http://erstarnews.com/2012/01/19/hockey ... ss-to-nwc/


Katie Jirik
“The Raiders had to drop to three defensemen in the third period after Katie Jirik suffered a mild concussion late in the second. It showed, as the Tigers out-shot Northfield 16-4 over the final 17 minutes, but didn't get a puck in the net. Dvorak got her hat trick and delivered the dagger for the night at the 12:42 mark. She won a face-off near center ice, skated in on a breakaway, and after the initial shot appeared to be saved, it trickled over the crease to give the Raiders a 3-1 lead and victory.”

Girls Hockey Tames Tigers
Read more: http://m.southernminn.com/mobile/articl ... b6ca9.html


Taylor Juberien
Helms (1-1) made her second career start at goalie – a position she started playing about a month ago – because senior starter Taylor Juberien is still recovering from a concussion she suffered in practice about two weeks ago. Juberien can begin skating in practice Wednesday but is not expected back in net for Thursday’s home game against Fairmont, Collins said.

Northfield's Scoring Spree Too Much for Waseca Girls Hockey
Read more: http://www.southernminn.com/waseca_coun ... c4883.html


Lizzy Shellum
“With Northfield celebrating its seniors on Thursday in its regular season finale against Red Wing, it would have been fitting for senior Lizzy Shellum to be in net. Unfortunately for the Raiders she was out with a concussion.

That left younger backup, sophomore Janaya Severson. But she was out with an injury as well.

So it was that while the Raiders honored their eldest members, eighth-grader Mallory Tidona got her first varsity start in net against the Missota Conference’s top team. She played well, making 28 saves and helping kill several penalties, but it wasn’t enough to avoid a 4-0 loss to the Wingers.”

Northfield Girls Hockey Loses Regular Season Finale to Red Wing
Read more: http://m.southernminn.com/mobile/articl ... 5636d.html


Danni Dahms
“In her first action of the season after suffering a head injury, sophomore goaltender Danni Dahms was perfect through the first half of the game, not allowing a goal until 11 minutes remained in the second period. Dahms, who is a two-time all-conference selection, faced 25 shots and made 22 saves in her first game.”

Brown's Unselfish Play Leads Bluejays in Win Over Winona
Read more: http://www.southernminn.com/waseca_coun ... c0c00.html

5 more articles

Taylor Sampson
“Taylor Sampson came back from missing time due to a concussion to score a pair of early goals in a 3-2 win over Eastview last Tuesday in Apple Valley.

Sampson opened the scoring with a power-play goal midway through the first period (assist to Kristen Reuter). Her second goal came on another assist from Reuter, this time with the Irish short-handed at the 6:58 mark of the second. Just over three minutes later, Goodrich scored on the power play (assists to Sampson and Riley) to make it 3-0.”

Irish Earn Fourth Date with Eagles
Read more: http://www.rosemounttownpages.com/conte ... ate-eagles


Lexus Tatge
“We just need to be in top physical shape and top mental shape,” said senior Lexus Tatge. “You step into the rink and nothing else bothers you, you just focus on hockey. And that’s what we failed to do a lot last year and in past years.”

Faribault has just one senior this year in Tatge, who was also the team’s only junior last season, but she will miss the beginning of the year and might even miss the entire season. She suffered her third concussion of the year during Saturday’s scrimmage, and it’s unknown exactly when, or if, last year’s second-leading scorer (six goals, six assists) will return.

Despite Low Numbers, Faribault Girls Hockey Plans on Taking Another Step in 2014-15
Read more: http://www.southernminn.com/faribault_d ... 4c063.html


Ashley Corcoran
“Red Wing freshman goaltender Anna Vagasky admitted there was some nervousness on Thursday. With the third-ranked (1A) Wingers facing Farmington and trying to get closer to a Missota Conference title, Vagasky had big kick pads to fill with All-State goalie Ashley Corcoran out with a concussion.

“It was really scary at first because of the conference championship stuff on the line and not wanting to tie with Chaska,” Vagasky said. “It put a lot of pressure on me, but after the first period, I felt a little better. My teammates really gave me a boost of confidence.”

Wingers Rally Behind Freshman Goalie For Win
Read more: http://www.republican-eagle.com/content ... goalie-win


Elle Anderson
“Faribault's Megan Bergland tallied four points in the section game last year, but Red Wing held her to one goal and one assist Tuesday even though defenseman Elle Anderson missed the game with a concussion.”

Schammel Stays Hot as Wingers Net Revenge
Read more: http://www.republican-eagle.com/content ... et-revenge


Lisa Nibbe
“After Hastings scored its third goal in Tuesday's season opener, Red Wing junior goalie Lisa Nibbe slowly glided over to the bench with the athletic trainer at her side.

Subsequent tests indicated Nibbe had suffered a concussion and she did not return. In knocking Nibbe out in the second period, the Raiders accentuated the fervor by which they attacked the Red Wing goal.

"She got pounded on so many times," Red Wing senior captain Annie Gorman said of Nibbe.”

Wingers Drop Opener to Hastings
Read more: http://www.republican-eagle.com/content ... r-hastings

you got to read this one

Hastings Raiders
Last year: 13-9-5
Conference (record): Suburban East (7-7-4)
Section: 3AA
Home arena: Hastings Civic Arena
Head coach: Jeff Corkish
Years at school: 15
Career record: 203-138-33
Assistant coaches: John Klimek, Josh Colvin, Darren Reiter, Ashley Pinault, Rob Amstrong
Top returning forwards: Sophomore Kiki Radke (38 pts.), senior Sam Vlaussen (33), senior Nat Simons (32)
The coach says: “This should be a great year for us with the return of our general manager Rob, Joe McGrath, Armstrong and new coaches Darren Reiter and Ashley Kleis-Pinault. We had to get a new staff since our old assistant coach just wanted to ice fish. You bet it was that big Benny! Our team will be led by a couple of captain forwards who together stand at total of 6 feet tall. Remember the scene from Slap Shot when the Hansons were in the corner? That is what these two bring to our team. Total disrespect for the law. Our defense will be a big part of our success and should be more focused on hockey since they won’t be spending so much time in the ice house pulling out walleye. Not many teams will want to play against this defensive group since they are led by girls named Bug, Moose and Root Beer. Shivering! I would not even want to go in the rink if I had to face these three – right out of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan!

“We have four goalies on our team who should lead us each night. Right now they lead our team in injuries with one concussion, two bad hips, a bad adductor and one who can’t find her contacts.”

The Road to St. Paul
Read more: http://www.letsplayhockey.com/todays-to ... -paul.html

Renee Curtin
“I suffer from migraine headaches daily. My journey to recovery was incredibly long and the injury still affects me to this day!”

Those are the words of the 2001 Ms. Hockey winner Renee Curtin whose illustrious hockey career ended after high school due to a severe hit from behind she suffered during her junior year in high school.

Curtin is the current record holder for most points scored in Minnesota girls’ high school hockey at 544 points. She made the Roseville varsity team as a seventh grader and continued on through her senior year. She dominated during her time playing for the Raiders as did her older sister Ronda, who won the Ms. Hockey award in 1999 and continued on to play for the University of Minnesota. Renee Curtin was on track to follow her sister to the U, until she suffered a broken neck her junior year in a game against Stillwater.

“I was being shadowed the entire game,” Curtin said. “I could hear the Stillwater coach saying, ‘Stay on her. Hit her. ’ I was along the boards trying to get a puck when I was cross-checked from behind. I immediately fell to the ground and the girls around me fell on top of me. I suffered a severe head injury and broke my neck.”

Curtin was rushed to the hospital, ending her junior year season a few games short and possibly her career. She was diagnosed with a cracked vertebrae and a severe concussion. She has suffered from memory loss of most of the events that happened in her life before the hit, constant headaches and neck pain. After months and months of occupational, speech and physical therapy, Curtin was cleared to play hockey again just weeks before the beginning of her senior hockey season.

“That was a very tough time,” Curtin said. “There were days where I just wanted to give up because it felt like I wasn’t getting any better. I could never have made it through that time if it weren’t for my friends and family. They offered so much support and kept me positive.”

After being out of the game for so long, many wondered if Curtin could play at the level she was at before her injury. Her response to this criticism; 65 goals, 22 assists, a No. 1 ranked team and a 23-2-1 overall record. She even recorded a six-goal, seven point game against Apple Valley en route to their championship win at the Kaposia Classic Christmas tournament.

“Her ability to stickhandle, that is her best asset. But she was also a phenomenal skater, both forward and backwards. She has a good long stride once she gets going, it’s tough to catch her,” Roseville head coach Owen Zeumer said in the March 1, 2001 edition of Let’s Play Hockey.

Although the Raiders ended up losing in sections, Curtin’s individual season was one to remember. She was named all-state for the fifth time, team MVP for the second year in a row, AP Player of the Year and Ms. Hockey, just to name a few. Not only was she a tremendous player on the ice, but also a great leader and role model off the ice.

“Renee had almost an icon status with the young kids,” Zeumer said. “The young ones on our team looked up to her, they had heard all about her as they were growing up. They learned how to handle the limelight watching Renee. She is a very humble person. First impression for a lot of people is that Renee is a shy person, very unassuming.

“I feel fortunate to have inherited a player of her caliber. I learned as much from her as she learned from me the last two years. She attended practice ready to work and play hard every day. I’d kid with her that we’d have to drag her off the ice so she wouldn’t get hit by the Zamboni.”

It seemed that the injury suffered only a year before had no effect on her and that she would be able to continue on and play for the Gophers with her sister. Then came the headaches.

“I was medically disqualified by the Gophers because my headaches kept getting worse,” Curtin said. “The doctors declared it too hazardous to my health to continue playing given the worsening of my current condition. They also told me the headaches might continue on for the rest of my life.”

While her dreams of playing in college may have been crushed, her passion for the game has not. Today she still skates with high school teammates Winny and Chelsea Brodt whenever she can. Renee enjoys spending time with her husband and son and has recently gone back to school to get a degree in physical therapy. She hopes to help those who have been injured as she was.

“For those that are going through tough injuries today, stay strong,” Curtin said. “Surround yourself with good friends who will support you through everything. Your family will always be there for you and they are your biggest supporters. There will be times when you feel like giving up when you aren’t showing any progress and things just aren’t going your way. This is when you have to be the strongest and really push yourself. You can do it!”

When asked about the game today, Renee had these words to say, “There is no getting around the fact that hockey is a contact sport and even though there’s no checking in girls’ hockey, there’s always going to be body contact! In my opinion, what needs to change is the referees making more calls. While the game has become faster and more competitive, players still need to be aware of what’s going on out on the ice. If you see someone with their back turned on the boards, don’t hit them from behind!”

Even though her career may have ended over a decade ago, Renee Curtin’s accomplishments to the State of Hockey will never be forgotten. Her actions on and off will continue to serve as inspiration for young athletes for many years to come.

Renee Curtin Reflects On A Shortened Career
Read more: http://www.letsplayhockey.com/online-ed ... areer.html

Another story

Referee and Player Jacqueline Zee Howard
“I've had 2 major injuries, both concussions, from playing hockey...once during a benefit game in September 2006 at the Duncanville Starcenter. One of their players got a breakaway and I backchecked hard...well maybe a little too hard as I ended up knocking him into the boards, while I went head first into the goal post. I was unconscious for almost 2 minutes and when I woke up, I had no feeling in my legs, and the paramedics had to carry me back to the bench. I drifted in and out of consciousness and EMS wanted to transport me to the hospital, but the first words out of my mouth were, "No, my deductible is too high." Not a laughing matter when I said it, but kinda funny now.

My other concussion happened at a drop-in session at the Euless Starcenter in the Spring of 2007, when a player tripped me as I was chasing down the puck...this time I went headfirst into the boards. I was only out for about 30 seconds, and there was definitely a lot more pain associated with this crash, neck included. Fortunately, other than bruises and scrapes, that has been the extent of my injuries...oh and in March 2009, my lip was torn by a loose puck popping up into my face when I took a faceoff at a house league game at Polar Ice House in Grapevine, TX...yah, should probably wear a full-face shield! I always strive to become a better hockey player and am still learning new ways of playing the game...and when I'm not playing, I'm officiating.”

Player/Referee Resumé
Read more: https://sites.google.com/site/zeehockey/

A famous name

Taylor Crosby
“It has been a season of concussions, but even so it came as a bit of a shock when Dr. Charles Tator — one of Canada’s leading experts on brain injuries — first heard the news: Taylor Crosby, sister of concussed hockey superstar Sidney Crosby, had also suffered a concussion.
The 14-year-old at Shattuck-St. Mary’s, a prep school in Minnesota with a renowned hockey program that her famous brother also attended, is a goalie for the under-16 team. She was hurt in practice about two weeks ago, sat out a week and missed two games. Taylor, who is practising again with the team, has an 11-7-4 record and 2.00 goals-against average and is believed to be on Hockey Canada’s radar.

After a moment, Tator had digested the news that two Crosbys had missed hockey due to concussions.

“That’s not unusual, to have other family members who have been concussed,” said Tator. “I know several families that have all had concussions. We do wonder whether some families have a special susceptibility to concussion. But there’s no proof for this.”

Sidney Crosby’s Sister Also Suffered Concussion
Read more: http://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/20 ... ssion.html

Another story

Kristen Jakubowski
“As someone studying for a career in preventative sports medicine, Colorado Springs native Kristen Jakubowski can laugh about the irony of her injury.

The 5-foot-11 senior forward/defenseman for the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute suffered a concussion and neck injury 10 months ago after being clotheslined by a Yale women’s hockey player late last season and has been unable to practice since.

“My experience playing hockey will help my career anyway but this will certainly give me more insight,” Jakubowski said, noting the silver lining behind her injury. “I’m my own case study.”

She is yet to step on the ice again but is able to attend classes. She will graduate with a biomedical engineering degree and will use her medical redshirt next season to attend her first year of graduate school at RPI in the same field.

Her parents were able to move to nearby Saratoga Springs, N.Y., when father Jan’s job moved to the area.

“I’m most concerned about her getting well but I’m happy to get to see her play one more year,” Jan said.

The former Cheyenne Mountain High School student played with local boys until age 12; well enough to be featured in the Dec. 30, 1998 edition of The Gazette.

She left her hometown to attend the Northwood boarding school in Lake Placid, N.Y., where she could play a high level of girls’ hockey without the hours on the road required to play club in Denver.

“They’d leave right after school and be gone from 3-10 p.m. twice a week and be out of state playing every weekend,” Jan said.

“She was missing a lot of high school life,” her mother, Donna, said.

The two-time ECAC all-academic honoree and team academic award winner was having her best year on the ice (11 points, six goals, after no points the first two seasons) when she suffered the injury.

There’s little glamour and no real chance at a professional playing career like some men can do after college. That doesn’t mean she isn’t anxious to return to the Engineers.

“I’ve enjoyed being able to represent my school,” she said. “I hope to be able to do so again.”

Springs Woman Waits to Play Again After Injury
Read more: http://m.gazette.com/springs-woman-wait ... cle/128135


More Kristen Jakubowski
Burke noted that Kristen Jakubowski (6-5-11 in 2010-11), who missed all of last season with a concussion, has worked with the same concussion syndrome experts who've helped treat Pittsburgh Penguins great Sidney Crosby with his lingering concussions.

"They do a tremendous job there and she's (Jakubowski) made great progress," Burke said. "Hopefully, she'll continue to make progress and we can get her back in the near future."

RPI Women Hope Hard Work Pays Off
Read more: http://www.troyrecord.com/general-news/ ... k-pays-off

This story is the 84th story posted with links in this thread.

Brittany Howard
“If there's something missing from Brittany Howard's game, Robert Morris women's hockey coach Paul Colontino hasn't seen it.

“You've got the whole package,” Colontino said of the freshman forward. “You've got kind of a little (Sidney) Crosby. I don't want to compare anyone to Sid, but sometimes you come across those players where it's like ‘What does this player not do?' ”

The 5-foot-4 Howard leads all NCAA freshmen with 15 assists and 21 points, numbers that rank tied for third and tied for ninth in the nation overall. She has helped the Colonials to a 13-3-1 record, and Robert Morris sits atop College Hockey America with a 6-1-1 mark. RMU broke into the national polls for the first time in program history this week, coming in at No. 10.

The soft-spoken Howard, though, deflects much of the credit.

“I'm just happy that the team has been successful and happy to contribute,” she said.

Senior captain Kristen Richards, one of Howard's linemates, is happy to do the talking for her.

“She's been great this year,” Richards said. “Her shot is phenomenal. Her skating is second to none. She's done everything well since she's gotten here.”

Howard arrived after a standout junior career in London, Ontario, alongside one of the Colonials' other blue-chip freshmen, goalie Jessica Dodds. Howard committed to Robert Morris at the end of her sophomore year, becoming Colontino's first recruit. She missed parts of her junior season with a knee injury and concussion problems, but by her senior season, she developed into one of the top scorers in the highly competitive Provincial Women's Hockey League.”

Freshman Scorer Does It All For RMU Women's Hockey Team
Read more: http://triblive.com/mobile/5133653-96/h ... -colontino


More Brittany Howard
“Last year was somewhat of a lost season for Robert Morris. Brittany Howard was lost to injury right out of the gate, and the team never found high gear. Now she returns for a much-delayed sophomore season.

“Obviously, it was great to have her back in the line-up,” coach Paul Colontino said. “She hasn’t played a game in a long time, 12 months. I know with the kind of person she is, she’s going to keep growing. I think more than anything, her teammates and her were happy to see her in the locker room wearing a jersey.”

Robert Morris Buoyed By Return of Howard
Read more: http://www.uscho.com/2015/10/05/robert- ... of-howard/