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183 names posted so far here are 3 more

Jessica Raymond
“She remembers the collision with another player, the fall to the ice, the feeling of dizziness. Skating shakily to the bench, she told her coach she had a concussion.

"How do you know?" the coach asked.

"Because I've had them before," Jessica Raymond replied.

For the minor hockey player, it was her fifth concussion, bringing with it months of nausea, headaches and dizziness - and an acute awareness that head injuries hardly afflict pros alone.

"With minor sports, people don't always think about concussions," said Ms. Raymond, 19, of Waterloo, Ont. "So many people don't know how serious they are."

Concussion Effects Linger for Decades, Study Finds
Read more: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/nat ... le4316803/


Samantha Yurechuk
For teenager Samantha Yurechuk, it started as just another scramble for the puck. She collided with a player, hit her head on the ice and suffered a concussion - unaware the injury put her at risk of mental decline decades later.

As the 14-year-old opened her eyes under the glare of the arena lights two weeks ago today, the trainer of the Brampton Canadettes bantam AA team rushed over, leaned down and asked: "What city are you in?"

"What's a city?" she replied.

"I started to feel nervous," said the Grade 9 student from Orangeville, Ont., about an hour northwest of Toronto. "I started to think there was something wrong."

..."I'm amazed at what risks people will take in the name of sports. It is mind-boggling," said Brian Webster, a brain injury lawyer based in Vancouver, who hears from parents who want to sue after their children have suffered concussions from sports. "… When you put your children in sports, you should really seriously try and understand the risks and the benefits, and try to minimize the risks without losing the benefits. But don't pretend they're not there."

Re-evaluating The Risk of Concussions
Read more: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/re- ... le1147874/


Anya Battaglioni
“Finally got back in the gym after my concussion. Felt good to be headache free and getting after it. Have to start back at square one.”

Abattag8
Read more: http://www.online-instagram.com/media/1 ... 2_21148338

Dr. Shannon Bauman
“Shannon also brings her own personal experience with a hockey-related concussion in 2012 to her practice. Shannon's recovery experience fuelled her interest in concussion management and led to her involvement in concussion research and the development of a network of international leaders in concussion management. Her passion for concussion care was the impetus for Concussion North and her desire to bring together a talented team of sports injury specialists under one roof.”

Concussion North
Read more: http://www.concussionnorth.com/our-team/


Brier Kaake
“Brier Kaake and Chloe Kyron, from the Whitby Girls Hockey Association's peewee division, gathered more than 100 signatures on a Canadian flag and had it sent, along with several letters of encouragement, to Canadian team member Jennifer Botterill.

Botterill, a two-time Olympic gold medallist and soon-to-be four-time Olympian, has already thanked the girls and promised to bring the flag to Vancouver for inspiration for her and her teammates.

The idea came about from unfortunate circumstance, as Kaake suffered a concussion in a recent game and was taken to the hospital by ambulance from the arena.

Botterill, who has a past connection to Kyron's family from a breast cancer fundraiser they organized, learned of the incident through Kyron and sent a signed and dedicated player card to Kaake.”

Whitby Girls Raise The Flag For Olympic Hockey Team
Read more: http://m.durhamregion.com/sports-story/ ... ockey-team


Bree Polci
“Bree Polci knows all about the so-called “invisible injury” otherwise called a concussion.

The veteran forward with the Windsor Lancers’ women’s hockey team suffered two during her five-year career in the Canadian Interuniversity Sports league.

Both resulted from flagrant and illegal hits, the first sending her headfirst into the boards and the second catapulting her backwards where she “smoked my head off the ice.”

“I was really vulnerable because I didn’t have the puck either time so I wasn’t expecting it,” the 23-year-old London native said.

Her first concussion, suffered in her sophomore year, was the worst.

“I immediately felt very dazed but I continued to play the rest of the game. I didn’t know I was concussed. I’d been hit multiple times in the head before and I thought it was like the other ones and would just go away,” she said.

Symptoms of severe headache, dizziness and sensitivity to light soon revealed what far too many female athletes have experienced.

...As for Polci, she got to play for Team Canada and won a silver medal at the FISU World University Games in Spain a few weeks ago. More importantly, she finished her final season without incurring another brain injury.

“I love playing but I actually thought about what I would do if I got another one,” the history major said. “I need my brains. It’s more important to have high function brain power than it is to play sports.”

Are Female Athletes Neglected By Concussion Research?
Read more: http://windsorstar.com/news/hold-for-mo ... n-research

Elizabeth Parker
“Elizabeth Parker is out with a concussion. Until she comes back, you are likely to see almost exclusively the same 4 defensemen. Rearranging the defensive pairings, to make sure one of the stronger skaters is on the ice at all times, might make sense. You can not lose Picard and Pucci for the season without feeling it.”

“Unfortunately, the concussion problem seems widespread. Some programs play concussions very close to the vest and are loathe to reveal the exact nature of the injury. But it seems any time I talk to a coach whose team is dealing with a rash of injuries, about half of them are concussions,” said Arlan Martila.

Harvard Crimson 2013-14 Preview
Read more: http://board.uscho.com/showthread.php?1 ... 2014/page3


Harvard Crimson 2015
“We’ve had mono and concussions, and just a number of things that can stutter a team’s progress,” Stone said. “But I think our kids have done a good job of filling the holes. They’ve pushed through and found a way to win some pretty tough hockey games.” So far this year, Harvard has not given up more than two goals in any game. The Northeastern matchup was Maschmeyer’s second shutout and the team’s fourth.”

A “Track Meet” On Ice
Read more: http://harvardmagazine.com/2015/11/harv ... ens-hockey

Kat Smithson
“Speak with Kat Smithson just once and you will hear the love she has for ice hockey and the passion she brings to coaching and teaching the game.

It is a love and passion that has grown over time, but in just a split second this fall, Smithson had to alter her teaching and coaching plans for the 2011-12 season at Princeton Day School.

Playing in an alumni game this past October at St. Lawrence University, Smithson, the four-year coach of the Panthers, suffered a concussion and was forced to the sidelines as she continues to recover.

"It was one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make," Smithson said, "but it is best for the team as a whole and for the girls too."

Kat Smithson Put Players First By Stepping Aside After Concussion
Read more: http://www.trentonian.com/article/TT/20 ... /312209974


Samantha Stortini
“Brown was hampered by the loss of top defender Samantha Stortini ’11, who sat out both games with a concussion. Head Coach Digit Murphy praised Victoria Smith ’13 for stepping up from her previous role as the fifth defender to pair with Nicole Brown ’10 on a full shift schedule for the first time in her career. But Murphy noted the depleted defense tired more easily, especially on special teams.”

W. Icers Still In Hunt For First ECAC Win
Read more: http://www.browndailyherald.com/2009/11 ... -ecac-win/


Jessica Wilson
"I'm not sure what happened, but we both went into the boards awkwardly, and I heard her kind of cry out," Francisco said. "It didn't sound too good."

Trudeau crumpled into the St. Lawrence bench in agony after the collision, and was carried into the locker room soon after. It will be a rough way for Trudeau to end her superb career if she cannot return for the NCAA tournament. She is the Saints' all-time leading goal-scorer with 77 tallies.

"I've known Caroline for a very long time, and she's had a history of knee problems from way back in the day, so it's unfortunate," Shewchuk said. "You don't like to see that happen to anybody on the ice. She's an intense, hard-working player, and it's just a shame."

Trudeau's injury further disrupted a St. Lawrence team that was already writhing from a 1-0 deficit at the time. Assistant captain Nicole Kirnan, usually a fourth-line player, took Trudeau's place on the top line.

Trudeau was not the only player the Saints lost on the day. Second-line center Jessica Wilson went down with a concussion midway through the second period.

"Injuries like that are part of the game, but psychologically they throw your mind off," said St. Lawrence Coach Paul Flanagan. "The players who stepped in did a very good job. We moved on."

NCAA Answers Questions With St. Lawrence Selection
Read more: http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2001/ ... ns/?page=4

Alexandra Karlis
“The same type of sports-related brain injury also sidelined Alexandra "Z" Karlis for three weeks, but the 17-year-old hockey player plans to return to the ice. She suffered the concussion—her first—when an opposing player blindsided her with an elbow to the head as she was about to make a pass.

Learning about the potential long-term impacts from concussions, which include mood and cognitive disorders, "completely freaked me out," said Alexandra, who plays for the Colorado Select in the Junior Women's Hockey League and is the daughter of former Denver Broncos kicker Rich Karlis.

Young athletes like Alexandra and Jake are the impetus behind a Colorado bill signed into law Tuesday that enacts the nation's most sweeping rules addressing youth concussions.

It requires coaches to bench players as young as 11 when they're believed to have suffered a head injury and need medical clearance to return to play. The law also requires coaches in public and private schools and even volunteer Little League and Pop Warner football coaches to take free annual training online to recognize the symptoms of a concussion.

"This is the most far-reaching bill in the country with regard to protecting children," said Republican state Sen. Nancy Spence, a sponsor of the legislation, which goes into effect in January.”

New Colo. Concussion Law Is Nation's Most Sweeping
Read more: http://www.denverpost.com/ci_17727047


Francesca Lam
“Across all sports in the study,” the foundation reported, “the highest rate of concussion was reported not by male football players, but by female hockey players.”

This reality struck home for Bu-Kahn (B-K) Lam, a cardiac surgeon at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute and Antoinette Corvo, a pediatric anesthesiologist at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario. They were shocked earlier this winter when their 10-year-old daughter Francesca came down for breakfast and announced “Mommy … I’m not right.”

They knew then it was serious.

The day before there had been an incident at practice, though most of the adults present said they had seen nothing. Francesca had been sent headfirst into the boards by a teammate after a simple drill. There had been tears and a headache and the parents had checked through the night, but in the morning the youngster said, “I look normal – but I don’t feel normal.”

Francesca was diagnosed with a concussion. By February, she was back to her normal self but she was no longer in competitive hockey.

The two doctors know only too well that injuries can happen. B-K Lam has played hockey all his life and is a minor-hockey coach. Francesca and younger brother Matteo, 8, are active and physically gifted. Francesca dreamed of one day playing for the McGill Martlets women’s hockey team. Now, her parents have taken her out of the game she loves more than any other.

The Growing Problem Of Concussion For Girls In Hockey
Read more: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/h ... e23169752/


Kenidi Longclaws
“How come you didn't go to Halifax ?
I had a bad concussion back in January & we thought it was gone but during pracys in March I got bad symptoms so we had to go to er & than specialist & I had to get mri's & cognitive tests & stuff & wasn't allowed to do anything so wasn't allowed to go to Halifax. Haven't been on the ice since March, I haven't gotten the clear yet. It's ******.”

Kenidi Longclaws
Read more: https://m.ask.fm/klongclaws

Anna Burke
“For all six Cougars, who are playing together on the same team for the first time, it is something they looked forward to before the season started. Though, at some points, the sibling connection can be a bit problematic.

“We think exactly the same,” Anna Burke said of how she plays with her sister. “We will do the same play at the exact same time.”

“I gave her a concussion at the beginning of the year because we were both going for the same play,” Molly Burke added.”

Sisters Aplenty At MMU, Middlebury Girls Hockey
Read more: http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/stor ... y/4402441/


Ann Arbor Pioneers
“A rash of injuries to the Ann Arbor Pioneer Womens Ice hockey team left the team short handed on Saturday night as they faced rival Cranbrook-Kingston Cranes at Wallace Arena. At least 6 Pioneer players were sidelined by concussions or sickness. Despite the setback, Pioneer came out and struck first going up 3-0 on 2 goals by Junior Mercedes Reyes and one by Junior Lauren Chapman.”

Ann Arbor Pioneer Hockey Varsity Falls To Cranbrook-Kingswood 3-6
Read more: http://aapioneerathletics.com/2013/01/2 ... swood-3-6/


Alexandra D’Ambrosio
“Stinger Alexandra D’Ambrosio rammed right into the open door at the McGill bench six minutes into the third period and was helped off the ice after barely moving for almost three minutes.

“She seems to have a bit of a concussion and has a huge scrape on the upper part of her shoulder,” said Lawton. “ It was a scary situation because she initially had a problem with her vision.”

No Candy on Valentines Day
Read more: http://pre2010.thelinknewspaper.ca/articles/2330

Lindsey Weaver
“There was one other noticeable adjustment in Harvard’s lineup this past week. Freshman Caitlin Cahow has been permanently moved to defense. With Lindsay Weaver out with a concussion, she is Angela Ruggiero’s defensive partner at the moment. Stone had no idea she could be a defenseman, but when Weaver went down, Cahow came to the coaching staff and said she could help. The rest is history.”

This Week In Women’s Hockey: Feb 5, 2004
Read more: http://www.uscho.com/2004/02/05/this-we ... eb-5-2004/


Sasha Nanji
“Dartmouth played without standout defenseman Sasha Nanji, who’s sidelined with what Hudak termed “a mild concussion.”

Newcomers Give Dartmouth Plenty of Optimism
Read more: http://www.vnews.com/search/2697862-95/ ... acey-green


Princeton Tigers
“Injuries have taken a large bite out of the Tigers in recent years.

“We have one player, Molly Contini, who scored nine goals for us as a freshman, she’ll be back,” Kampersal said. “She missed a whole year with a hip injury. It’s like what Doug was saying for Cornell. Hips are huge now in women’s hockey, torn labrums, and concussions, so we’re one of those teams that has suffered through our fair share of hips and heads. So right now, knock on wood, everybody is fairly healthy. We have a couple potentially threatening hip situations, but the kids are going to try to play through the year and see if they can make it through and then get further fixed in the spring and summer.”

The Top Looks Crimson Once More
Read more: http://www.uscho.com/2014/10/03/the-top ... -once-more

Kirsti Hakala
“A small roster got even smaller Friday night for the No. 5 University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team, and the result was too few bodies for too many minutes.

The Bulldogs -- already without Finnish national team members Saara Tuominen and Mariia Posa and injured defenseman Kirsti Hakala (concussion) -- simply could not match St. Cloud State University's stamina Friday night, suffering a 5-1 setback to the Huskies in the National Hockey Center in St. Cloud, Minn. The loss drops UMD's overall record to 6-5-0 and 4-3-0 in Western Collegiate Hockey Association play.”

Depleted Bulldogs Fall 5-1 To St. Cloud State Friday Night
Read more: http://umdbulldogs.com/news/2009/11/6/W ... print=true


Maria Rooth
“No question, Maria was the best player on the ice that game,” said coach Miller.

The next day, Rooth was flying again, but she was checked from behind into the side boards late in the first period, and while the Bulldogs came from behind to win that one, too, with a 6-5 performance, Rooth was KO’d for six weeks with a concussion and separated shoulder. She’ll miss more games while joining Sweden’s national team in another week, so she may never get her point total up to its normal pace.”

Rooth Returns To UMD Women’s Lineup With Same Speed, Flair
Read more: http://newcarpicks.com/site/2003/page/8/?cat=8


Nicole Hensley
“Select Alum and Lindenwood Lions freshman goaltender Nicole Hensley was named to the College Hockey America Honor Roll for the third time this season (see story below) for the week of January 14, 2012 for her play the prior weekend against Robert Morris University. She picked up a 5-2 win on Friday night with a .942 save percentage. Nicole had a .924 save percentage for the weekend, saving 73 of 79 shots before leaving the game Saturday with a concussion with 7 minutes minutes to play. Recuperate fast Nicole!”

Alumni News
Read more: http://www.coloradogirlshockey.com/page ... ws-archive

Juliane Jubinville

“Heidi Pelttari, a Finnish defender slated to join the team Dec. 29, injured her knee while playing hockey in Europe. She is set for knee surgery this week, but may return by the end of the month.

Swedish freshman forward Elin Holmlov (four goals, 15 assists), who in the Ohio State series finale had finally reached maximum health after surgery for a herniated disk last February, re-aggrevated the injury. She is scheduled to return at the end of the month.

Swedish freshman goalie Kim Martin, who has a .950 save percentage, 1.39 goals against average and three shutouts, has a return date yet to be determined. She has been spotted in and out of the lineup since the Four Nations Cup in November.

Junior forward Samantha Hough is done for the season. She is expected to take a medical red shirt to retain two more seasons of eligibility.

Senior forward Juliane Jubinville, who has been plagued with side effects following a preseason concussion, is not expected to return.

Meanwhile, forward Michaela Lanzl (3-5—8) is playing in a tournament with the German national team and returns Jan. 10.

The good news — a sort of triage system has some players who are almost fully recovered making an early return: senior defender Suvi Vacker, who has been out with a leg injury since the end of November, is expected to play Saturday. She may even see some time at forward, the Finnish player said.

Junior Karine Demeule, who has a back injury, will likely skate. And first-line winger Jessica Koizumi, who recently returned from a Team USA tryout camp, will likely play despite a groin injury.”


Bunch Of Bulldogs Injured
Read more: http://umdwomenshockeyfans.blogspot.com ... chive.html


Madeline Lenz
“With more than 1,000 minutes between the pipes and a 2.76 goals-against-average, Madeline Lenz was an honorable mention All-MIAC goaltender as a freshman last season.

Against Lake Forest, however, Lenz suffered her fourth career concussion, and second of the past three playing months, a development that caused doctors to "pull the plug on her playing any more," according to Mannor.

Hard-working Cardinals Shoot For Winning Season
Read more: http://www.winonadailynews.com/sports/h ... 002e0.html

Kierra Howard
“Goaltender Kierra Howard has compiled a 10-4-2 record, 2.32 goals-against average and .903 save percentage. She has returned to the B/LF lineup after suffering a concussion.

“She comes back from a mild concussion and the next two games she has two shutouts,” Peltoma said. “She was tested but not tested hard in those games.

“Going up to Bemidji they were a big, strong, physical team and good shots. The wheels kind of came off the bus in a lot of elements of our game. Defensively we didn’t play well, and Kierra struggled a little bit. We haven’t seen her struggle in two years. I’m glad we got that game out of our system.”

Flying Warriors, Lightning Are Excited For Outdoor Game
Read more: http://www.brainerddispatch.com/content ... tdoor-game


Jessica Laverriere
“Biddeford was without Paige Boudreau (back) and Jessica Laverriere (concussion).

“We came into today’s game down a couple of players due to injuries,” Potvin said. “We had a bit shorter bench than we’ve had. I think both teams battled extremely hard but I cannot say enough about how my team battled today. Being thrown some adversity with the injuries and the short bench and being able to come in and hang tough with one of the better teams in the league.”

Red Storm Tame Tigers
Read more: http://www.pressherald.com/2014/12/17/g ... me-tigers/


Michelle Robichaud
“I knew I was more of an aggressive person,” Robichaud said.

And you can’t ride someone off the beam.

But when it comes to the puck … Robichaud fights for it and knows what to do when she gets it.

“She has a keen sense of the game within the game,” Haley said.

Haley initially had Robichaud playing forward but moved her to defense – the position she plays for the Junior Pirates. She still had 11 goals and 14 assists last season, when forwards Ariel Potter and Emily Johnson did much of the scoring.

Potter has graduated, but Johnson and two other seniors, Katie Brown and Hannah Williams, are back with Robichaud. The team also has grown with three players from Gray-New Gloucester High, making the Clippers a three-school team.

“It’s a great addition,” Robichaud said. “We’re really coming together as a team.”

The East again will be a tough region, including Lewiston, the likely favorite for the state title, Edward Little/Leavitt/Poland and Greely.
Robichaud will be called on to lead the Clippers. Goal No. 1 will be to stay healthy. She was only recently cleared to play, two months after suffering a concussion during a Junior Pirates game. That injury also cut short her cross country season (she also plays softball).

It figures, Robichaud Will Lead Clippers
Read more: http://www.pressherald.com/2014/11/26/i ... -clippers/

Abbi Scrutchfield
“We’re coming out with a good intensity level and feeding off each other’s energy,” said Bulldogs captain Effie Drew. Her co-captain, Abbi Scrutchfield, missed the game with a concussion.

“The injuries are holding us back,” Drew said. “But we came out hard (on Monday).”

Attack Out Of The Back
Read more: http://www.pressherald.com/2011/01/04/a ... 011-01-04/


Kirsten Mazur
“Mary Morrison gave Greely the lead about two minutes later, sending a hard shot along the ice that got by goalie Kirsten Mazur for a 2-1 lead. Kurland jammed in the rebound of Meg Finlay’s shot from in close at 14:46 to make it 3-1 after the first period.

“Falmouth is a great team, they’re going to have the opportunity to make some noise in the playoffs,” Greely Coach Nate Guerin said. “We kind of knew we were capable of a game like this, so it’s nice for the girls to actually do it.”

Greely’s penalty-kill units stood tall in the second, killing off a five-on-three to keep Falmouth off the board. Tuller set up Finlay for a late goal to push the lead to 4-1. Kurland made it 5-1 just 23 seconds into the third.

It was a third straight loss for Yachtsmen (11-7), No. 3 in the West, who were bolstered by the return of goalie Mazur (33 saves).

Mazur had missed two weeks with a concussion.”

One Goal Allowed, Then All Greely
Read more: http://www.pressherald.com/2013/01/31/o ... 013-01-31/


Ivy DiBiase
“Scarborough was without three centers: Sami Shoebottom, Madison O’Reilly, and Ivy DiBiase.

“(Shoebottom) is gone for the weekend; she’s in an all-star tournament,” said D’Amour. “O’Reilly broke her thumb and then I have Ivy (DiBiase), our other center, who has a concussion.

“As long as everybody is healthy and good in January, I’m set.”

Scarborough Defeats Cape Elizabeth In Girls’ Hockey
Read more: http://www.pressherald.com/2015/11/28/s ... ls-hockey/

Natalie Christensen
“Natalie Christensen of Team BC suffered an apparent concussion on Thursday when she collided with an opponent from the Edmonton Chimos in first-round play at the Esso Women's Nationals Women's Hockey Championship.

Christensen fell awkwardly into the corner boards and was knocked unconscious briefly in the mishap. She remained on the ice for several minutes and the referee sent both teams to their respective dressing rooms with 6:46 remaining in the second period.

Medical staff said the BC player was conscious and alert when she was removed from the ice on a stretcher and taken to Foothills Hospital for further treatment. It was not known whether Christensen would be able to participate in the 10-team tournament, which continues through the weekend at Father David Bauer and Max Bell arenas.

Team BC, which is represented by the New Westminster Lightning, lost the game 4-0 to the Chimos, the host team in the championship.”

BC Player Suffers Possible Concussion At Esso Women's Nationals
Read more: http://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/news/1998-nr-016-en


Tara Dunn
“Senior Tara Dunn, playing in her first game since sustaining a concussion in practice, became Harvard's newest addition to the defense. It was the first game she had ever played at the blueline. Early in the first period, she cut-off speedy Brown center Kim Insalaco on a near-breakaway.

"Tara Dunn made such a difference in our game today," Stone said. "She was the difference. We controlled the defensive zone more than we have in any other game. She's smart, she sees the entire ice, and she's an offensive threat too. She just might find a home there."

W. Hockey Mauls Bears in Big Win
Read more: http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2000/ ... ig/?page=2


Martha Peppes
“She’s only 12, but will be showcasing her ice hockey talents in front of college scouts April 6-10. That’s when Martha Peppes and her Mass Spitfire teammates will be one of 12 teams competing for the Tier One girls 12-U National Tournament championship in Detroit.

She’s one of only two Rhode Islanders on the elite squad, joining East Greenwich’s Skylar Fontaine, and has been one of the team’s leading scorers throughout the season. Peppes, a 7th-grader at Lincoln Middle School and the daughter of William and Jerilyn Peppes, began ice skating in the Woonsocket North Stars program when she was 5 and has enjoyed an almost meteoric rise in playing levels. If the name sounds familiar, it may be because her older sister, Meredith, made the same trip to the national tournament four years ago. She is now a star defenseman for the Mount St. Charles Academy girls hockey team.

...“I got a concussion this year when I was hit from behind by another girl,” Martha said. “It can get pretty rough out there.”

Glowing In The National Spotlight
ftp://wsip-68-15-38-220.ri.ri.cox.net/P ... -CL-27.pdf


Katie Pittman
“Katie Pittman closes her Grade 10 math textbook and clears her school work off the table. The Ottawa resident sets the books down in the corner by her backpack, where her hockey sticks used to be. Her mother stands over the blender, making a smoothie with added protein powder to speed up healing. She also takes Omega-3, magnesium, and melatonin.

When Pittman was 15 years old, she suffered another concussion during a game, hitting her head on the crossbar.

As a result, Pittman knows all about concussion treatment. She must avoid physical activity until her symptoms subside, and that means giving up hockey with her competitive Midget A team, the Ottawa Ice. Her sudden lack of ice time has caused a huge shift in her lifestyle.

“You go from skating every couple of days to not at all,” she says, folding her hands on the table top. “It's almost like you're giving up your life.”

For high-level players, hockey is life. They come home from school, do homework, eat, and head to the rink. Team members see each other almost every night, and the bonds between them are tight. When Pittman suffered her most recent concussion, her loss shook the team.

According to her coach, Claudio Colaiacovo, the team's morale dropped after players heard that Pittman would not be joining them again for the rest of the season. There were gasps in the dressing room. “I was devastated,” says Chiara Germano, who has been on Pittman's team for six years.

Pittman's loss carried over from the dressing room to the ice. Injuries take their toll, especially in the games played by more competitive teams such as hers. The first two periods in her Midget A league are 15 minutes long, and the third is 20 minutes. In house league games, the first and second periods are 10 minutes long and the third is 12 minutes.

Being down a player also disrupts the lineup. “The fact that we have different defence partners all the time, and different players playing different positions, brings a sense of insecurity to the team,” says Kayla McSorley, Pittman's defence partner before the concussion. “Especially since the defence hold the team together.”

“Because you can't fully hit, you can't take the body … there's a lot more stick stuff. I find there's more chance of falling and having more accidents,” Pittman says, speaking from experience.

Katie Weatherston, a member of Canada’s National Women’s Team when it won the gold medal at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Turin, Italy, knows all too well the damage such an accident can do. During a game of pick up hockey in 2009, she caught an edge and fell.

It was not her first concussion, and she recognized the symptoms immediately. They persisted for over two years. According to The Globe and Mail, the concussion left her unable to aim for the chance to play at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, B.C.

Pittman has been suffering from post-concussion symptoms for over two months.

“Not that I'm counting; it's been 57 days since I played hockey,” she says. “I'm doing nothing.”

Although she’s not playing, Pittman is still involved in the sport. She works as a referee, and attends some of her team's games as a spectator. At one of those games, her mother asked her if their seats in the stands were good enough. Pittman responded, pointing to the ice, “Over there would be better.”

The Brains Behind The Boards: What’s It Like To Be Sidelined Due To A Concussion?
Read more: http://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/news/2013-wwc-004-en

Vicky Sunohara
“Sunohara has played for Canada in eight world championships and three Olympic Games, winning gold in seven and two of them respectively.

The former assistant captain has 54 goals and 62 assists in 161 career games and played in the first IIHF women's world championship in 1990.

But Sunohara has battled tendinitis in her ankle since December. A mild concussion and elbow injury she suffered early at a evaluation camp in January hampered her performance in it.

"I need to be 100 per cent to make the team," Sunohara said from Brampton, Ont. "I really believe I would have regretted it if I didn't try this season. It's not so much a surprise to me, but I guess right now it's a hard time for me.”

Canadian Women’s Team Cut Sunohara
Read more: http://www.sportsnet.ca/more/canada-women-0/


Therese Brisson
“Fewer injuries mean less suffering. Therese Brisson, BSc 89, is no stranger to pain. A severe concussion in 2001 nearly cost her Olympic glory in Salt Lake City in 2002. Yet she led all Canadian defence in scoring, helping Canada win its first gold medal in women’s Olympic hockey.

A former team captain and winner of six world championships, Brisson was later sidelined by complications from a broken ankle she suffered just before the 2004 world championship in Halifax. She played anyway, underwent four surgeries, developed an infection and required further surgery. Yet Brisson, who later earned a PhD in Physical Activities Science from Université de Montréal, says her Olympic commitments to a “relentless pursuit of results” ultimately made her a better person.

Pain and gain
Better but banged up. “There are a lot of skills you learn as an athlete that make you a great business leader,” says Brisson, now working in marketing in Toronto. “The downside is that it comes with some leftovers of your career that you would rather do without.”

Indeed, the Montreal native still wonders about the long-term effects of her injuries. “There are some physical souvenirs that I would prefer not to have.”

Performance Of A Lifetime
Read more: http://www.concordia.ca/cunews/offices/ ... etime.html

Kathy Desjardins
“I am definitely losing a family by moving to Kelowna and stopping pro hockey. Yet, at one point in my life, I was suffering from injuries to my knee and collarbone. Just at the end of the year before the Clarkson Cup, a concussion. I got enough of that and unfortunately the injuries took over my hockey career.”

Calgary Inferno Netminder Kathy Desjardins Bids Farewell To CWHL Hockey
Read more: http://www.cwhl.ca/view/cwhl/news-644/news_166989


Nora Tallus
“UMD junior forward Nora Tallus was back in the line-up after sitting out yesterday’s contest that resulted in a 1-1 draw. Tallus suffered a concussion earlier in the week during practice but was cleared to play Sunday.”

Women Fall To Wisconsin 5-2 Sunday Afternoon
http://www.umdbulldogs.com/news/2004/1/ ... Y_501.aspx


Katy Ratty
The coach said his team has players nursing injuries or fighting illness, but noted that so do most squads at this time of the season. Forward Katy Ratty has missed the last two games because of a concussion and the fourth line of sophomore Mackenzie St. Onge and freshmen Elena Horton and Morgan Turner doesn’t see much ice time.

Dog-Gone: Just Like That, Yale Pulls Away From Dartmouth
Read more: http://www.vnews.com/home/15591181-95/d ... -dartmouth


Beth Potter
“Hockey has played a significant and positive role in Beth’s recovery, her parents believe.

Beth missed five months of action two summers ago recovering from a concussion sustained at a regional USA Hockey developmental camp but, come winter, she was back with the Hurricanes when it mattered. The same is the case this winter, where Potter and junior Erin Hudson have given light-scoring Hartford a needed defensive boost.”

Goalie Stops Pucks — And Cancer, Too: Hartford Netminder Doesn't Let Illness Get In Way
Read more: http://www.vnews.com/sports/4007565-95/ ... y-hartford


Ashley Stephenson
“Stephenson played her university hockey with the Laurier Golden Hawks women's ice hockey program. Having won four Ontario University Athletics conference titles (2002, 2004–06), she was part of the Golden Hawks team that claimed the CIS National Championship in 2005.

In addition, she was recognized as the Most Valuable Player of the CIS National Championship tournament. Recognized as a CIS First-Team All-Canadian in 2006, she was inducted into the Golden Hawks Hall of Fame in 2011.

A member of the Brampton Thunder from 2005–07, she played for the Mississauga Chiefs from 2007-10. Among the highlights of her time with the Chiefs, she competed in the inaugural CWHL season (2007–08) and earned a gold medal at the 2008 Esso women's hockey nationals.

Claimed by the Thunder in the 2010 CWHL Draft, she would join the Burlington Barracudas. Competing with the Barracudas from 2010–12, she was part of their final season (2011–12). The final goal of her career stood as the game-winning goal in a December 18, 2011 match against the Toronto Furies, which would also prove to be the final win in Barracudas franchise history.

After suffering her seventh concussion, Stephenson was forced to retire from hockey.”

Ashley Stephenson
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashley_Stephenson

Erika Holst
“Swedish star goaltender Kim Martin was injured prior to Saturday’s exhibition loss to Canada, and veteran superstar Erika Holst suffered a concussion last November and didn’t make the final roster. As well, Gunilla Andersson, the last active player from 1992, retired.”

Czechs Stun Swedes, 3-2, Goalie Martin’s Injury Leaves Sweden Vulnerable
Read more: http://www.worldwomen2013.com/en/news/cze-swe/


Daria Gleissner
“The German women’s national team will start the Olympics without Daria Gleissner, who will be replaced by Lisa Schuster.

Gleissner suffered a concussion in a scrimmage and will not be able to participate in the Olympic women’s ice hockey tournament.”

Germany: Schuster Replaces Gleissner
Read more: http://www.iihf.com/home-of-hockey/news ... c81fe92aa0

Corie Jacobson
“The Clarkson University women's hockey team, with Warren native Corie Jacobson on the roster, captured the school's first NCAA Division-1 championship in any sport Sunday with a 5-4 victory over the University of Minnesota in Hamden, Conn.

It's the first national championship appearance for the Golden Knights as well since the 1970 men's hockey team lost to New York state rival Cornell University.

Jacobson, a graduate of Ecole secondaire catholique Franco-Cite and a former member of the North Bay Ice Boltz midget-AA team, missed the game due to post-concussion symptoms along with defensive partner Erin Ambrose, but was in attendance to watch the Golden Knights beat the defending national champions with a shortened lineup.

Clarkson dressed 15 skaters as a result.

The five-foot-six defenceman just completed her first year of NCAA eligibility at the Potsdam, N.Y.-based school, scoring two goals and adding four assists in 16 games during her injury-shortened season.”

Warren's Jacobson part of NCAA women's hockey champs
Read more: http://www.nugget.ca/2014/03/23/warrens ... key-champs

Coach Colleen
“Colleen’s collegiate aspirations were diminished when she sustained her 2nd and 3rd concussions in May of 2012. Not allowing her concussions slow her down, Colleen joined the Express on a more permanent basis during her senior year of high school as Social Media Coordinator for the RBHockey School and the Express programs. Colleen went on to attend Husson University in Bangor, ME in a 6-year Doctorate of Physical Therapy program until another concussion forced her home.”

Coach Colleen
Read more: http://www.rbhockey.com/coaches/

Kira Hurley
“As seniors, forwards Shaidle and Bailkowski recorded 18 and 16 points on the season, respectively. Hurley, meanwhile, struggled through a tough year.

“This season was definitely the hardest one of them all for me,” said Hurley. “I was coming off of shoulder surgery and then faced some concussion troubles. I didn’t feel like I was my usual self on the ice and this depleted my confidence.”

Hurley attributed the team’s continued success despite her absences to her team’s resiliency.

“(The) team battled through my inconsistencies and showed up every game,” stated Hurley, “Stephanie [Hansen] really stepped it up and played amazing in goal. Even though it was a tough year for me, (the) team prevailed and showed their never-ending determination and persistence.”

In addition to the always increasing competition, Seeley had to battle a common trend that he’s seen in his engineering of programs.

“The fourth year of a program becomes difficult no matter where you are,” commented Seeley. “That senior year is a tough one, because you’re not contributing as much. All of a sudden you’re getting resumes ready and the real world is about to start.”

Four Years That Will Last A Lifetime
Read more: http://www.clarksonathletics.com/news/2 ... path=whock

Emma Greco
Quinnipiac head coach Rick Seeley spoke up about how vital it was to contain a strong offense like Cornell’s.

“It’s always important but we have a great core and we lost one of our key [defenseman] Emma Greco in the first period with a concussion and I thought the other five stepped up and played a great game,” Seeley said.

Quinnipiac Women’s Ice Hockey Ties Cornell
Read more: http://www.quchronicle.com/2013/11/quin ... s-cornell/


Wesleyan Women’s Ice Hockey
“Participating in the Brain Injury Association of Connecticut's annual "Walk For Thought" Sunday, Oct. 24, 2010, member of the Wesleyan women's ice hockey team solicited pledges for their mileage and raised $1500 to benefit brain injury research.

"We became involved through our trainer, Vicky Graham, who is president of the Connecticut Athletic Trainers Association," said Wesleyan women's ice hockey head coach Jodi McKenna. "Hockey players are no stranger to head injury and our team has been directly affected by its repercussions. Several players have had concussions and one has had to end her career due to the added effects of repeated concussions. In general, head trauma happens to be a hot topic right now in hockey and other contact sports. New research shows that even repeated, mild head contact can have long lasting, negative affects on brain function."

Wesleyan Women’s Ice Hockey Raises $1500 For Brain Injury Association
Read more: http://www.wesleyan.edu/athletics/news/ ... 02410.html

Insurance coverage for concussions


Daughters of Jackson and Verbeek
“Hockey parents are stunned after learning that their kids aren't covered by insurance for brain injury in a concussion-plagued sport.

"I am shocked and dismayed. And surprised," said hockey dad Doug Jackson, whose daughter was playing in the 2013 Esso Cup in Burnaby on Wednesday. The Cup is the major midget women's Canadian championship tournament.

"Head injuries are the big issue right now," said Jackson. "They absolutely should do something about it."

Another tournament dad, Willem Verbeek of Timmins, Ont., said he was surprised to hear Hockey Canada's insurance policy for minor players doesn't cover brain injuries.
Verbeek, whose daughter Sarah was playing centre for Ontario, said he would "definitely" pay more for better insurance coverage.

"I think it should be looked at," he said.

Hockey Canada and others are currently embroiled in a legal battle with the family of Darren More, a Vancouver Island man who in 2004 suffered a severe brain injury while wearing a helmet in a Juan de Fuca Minor Hockey Association game.

The family's first legal fight against the helmet's manufacturer, Bauer, failed in 2010.

The latest suit against Hockey Canada, the B.C. Amateur Hockey Association, the Juan de Fuca Minor Hockey Association and Citadel Insurance will be heard in B.C. Supreme Court in July.

Citadel had asked the court that they be excluded from the action. The family claims the insurance arrangement between Citadel and Hockey Canada was illegal and void. Earlier this month a B.C. Supreme Court judge ruled that Citadel is to remain part of the action and that determining whether the insurance policy was legal must be dealt with in court.

In his reasons for judgment, Justice John Steeves pointed out that brain injury wasn't covered by the Citadel policy. However, there was provision for $25,000 if a player lost the use of both hands and up to $1 million if a player was left quadriplegic.

Concussions are a major problem in hockey. A new Toronto hospital study of 13,000 injured children from 1990 to 2009 found hockey accounted for 44.3 per cent of brain injuries.

Tim Ramage of Burnaby was watching his daughter play Wednesday and said he has bought extra insurance to cover her. His 11-yearold son has already suffered three concussions playing hockey.

Dr. Ian Pike, director of the B.C. Injury Research and Prevention Unit, said concussions "pose a much more serious threat than we thought," and noted that prevention and public health education efforts had ramped up.

Hockey Canada wouldn't comment on their player insurance policy because of the legal action with More and his parents.

However, according to Hockey Canada documents, the per-player basic insurance fee is $16.15 per year. The Hockey Canada 2012-13 player-safety handbook states "insurance is not available to cover many hockey-related risk exposures, as many times the desired coverage is simply unaffordable."

Kieran Bridge, the lawyer acting for More and his parents, said a key issue in this summer's legal battle will be, "was this insurance adequate?"

Bridge said that so far there has been almost no insurance money to help care for More.

"Darren is in a bad way, medically," Bridge said. "He is completely unemployable and requires constant attention."

Heads-up On Hockey Insurance
Hockey Parents Are Stunned After Learning That Their Kids Aren't Covered By Insurance For Brain Injury In A Concussion-plagued Sport.
Read more: http://www.canada.com/story.html?id=780 ... 7b1e099c1d

Danielle Goyette
“JF: What were your biggest challenges during your hockey career?

DG: The language barrier was one of the greatest adversities I ever faced. From 1991 to 1996, I could not talk to my teammates on the national team. I only spoke French. When I found out in 1996 that women’s hockey was going to be in the 1998 Olympic Winter Games for the first time, I was 30 years old. I decided I needed to move to Calgary to train and learn English. In August of 1996, I moved to Calgary and found a job at the Olympic Oval. I trained twice a day. I thought I was going to be in Calgary for five months and I have been here for 20 years.

The other [challenge] was injuries. I dislocated my shoulders 24 times — 13 in my left shoulder, 11 in my right shoulder. I had three shoulder surgeries. My other serious injury problem was concussions. The last one was a big concussion. For two months, I could not watch television or be in a lighted room. It was scary. I could not keep a conversation with somebody or talk on the phone because I could not remember what was said five seconds ago. … I was lucky enough that I was able to keep going. You cannot take anything for granted.”

In Conversation With Danielle Goyette
Read more: http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/e ... e-goyette/


Kim St-Pierre
"I think I might have a concussion," St-Pierre said after stopping 25 shots in Canada's 3-1 gold medal victory over the United States. "I'm speaking but I'm losing track of my words. I don't remember what happened. I know I asked a teammate, 'Is it really over? Did we really win the gold medal?'”

Canadians Win Only Game That Mattered
Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=91878&page=1

Cassie Campbell-Pascall

“Few names resonate as strongly among hockey fans as Cassie Campbell-Pascall’s does. The former ice hockey player, and current sports broadcaster, was the captain of the Women’s National ice hockey team that brought home a gold medal in the 2002 and 2006 Winter Olympics.

The Richmond Hill-native has been inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame and even had a community centre in Brampton named in her honour.

But her life as an athlete wasn’t without some challenges. “I suffered my most serious concussion in 2004, although I think all of them were pretty serious,” Campbell-Pascall recalls. “It was one though where I missed seven months of playing and it definitely had some long-lasting effects.”

“I think the scary thing is that concussion symptoms often don’t come on right away, and they can vary from athlete to athlete. Sometimes you don’t feel the effects of a concussion until a week or so later and that is tough to explain to your team staff or teammates when they’ve seen you pushing your body throughout a time when you didn’t realize you were injured,” Campbell-Pascall says. “Sometimes when you suffer a concussion you feel a sense of loneliness and fear of ‘what is next for me?’ Speaking with other athletes who have had one has been tremendously supportive for me.”

Campbell-Pascall And What She Learned From Her Injuries
Read more: http://www.parachutecanada.org/blog/ite ... r-injuries



Ashley Banfield
“It was the perfect playoff atmosphere—a lively crowd living and dying with every play of a grueling 1-1 Harvard-Brown semifinal in its first overtime Saturday afternoon.

As the Crimson went on the attack in the Bears’ zone, junior Ashley Banfield skated along the far end of the right-side boards—goaltender Katie Germain’s left—seeking control of a puck that had squirted out of reach. At the same time, Brown’s Myria Heinhuis skated over to check Banfield and fight for possession of the puck.

The crowd cheered as the two players battled it out on the side. Finally, Heinhuis saw an opportunity to knock the puck away, and took swipe at the puck from in between Banfield’s legs. As the puck came free, co-captain Angela Ruggiero gained possession, finding a clear path to the net. Instead, she stopped in her tracks, turning back to her teammate in a selfless act that sacrificed an opportunity to be the game’s hero but embodied the team spirit that has driven Harvard this far into the postseason. In short, Ruggiero did just what any good captain, teammate, and friend would have done—she went to look after her own before looking out for herself.

Heinhuis’ stick had slipped underneath Banfield’s skates, and in her attempt to slap away the puck, she inadvertently undercut Banfield’s balance and pushed back on her with her right arm, sending the Crimson defenseman momentarily airborne and helpless. After her back hit the ice flat, Banfield’s head swung back and her helmet slammed into the ice at 6:12 in the first overtime. One twitch, and then she lay motionless. After Ruggiero stopped and turned, the official blew the whistle and a stifling silence blanketed the crowd at Union’s Achilles Arena.

“I talked to the ref after and he just said that they both kind of went in really hard and when she went down, she went straight back. And that’s why they think she hit her head,” said Brown coach Digit Murphy. “That’s why they think she was out and a little bit convulsing. I talked to [Harvard coach Katey Stone] and she had said at least she was moving. Hopefully she’s not out for good.”

Banfield's Injury Stuns W. Hockey Players, Spectators
Read more: http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2004/ ... y-players/

Caitlin Bellon
“The next three days will be the most important ones thus far in the history of the Mandan girls hockey program — and Caitlin Bellon nearly had to miss them.

In a Jan. 10 game at Dickinson, Bellon was checked hard into the boards. She suffered a concussion and a torn eardrum.

But Bellon received medical clearance to play in tonight’s game against Minot and will be in the lineup for Saturday’s clash at Williston. The outcome of those two games will almost certainly determine whether the Braves earn their first state tournament berth.

Bellon and Mandan’s other two seniors — Madison Huber and Nicolle Trenda — have all played on the varsity for six seasons. They have an emotional investment in reaching that goal.

“To the three seniors, it means a lot to us,” Bellon said. “Being able to go to state would show the community that we’re stepping up, and we’re trying to make a good impression for all the little girls.”

Despite missing Mandan’s last three games, Bellon is the team’s leading scorer with four goals and 10 assists. But her impact on the Braves goes beyond the numbers, according to coach Dewitt Mack.

“She is hard-nosed,” Mack said. “She just goes and goes. She never quits, the kind of kid you like to coach.”

Mandan added girls hockey in 2004-05, and building the program has not been easy. But the Braves have been making strides and came close to making state a year ago. This season Mandan has set a team record for league wins with five.

“Seeing the difference from six years ago to now is incredible,” Bellon said.

Mandan’s biggest victory of the season came on Dec. 20, when the Braves upended Williston 3-1. It was the first time they had ever defeated the Coyotes. Williston outshot Mandan 36-22, but goalie Chelsey Norton helped the Braves hold off the Coyotes.

“Our hearts were in the game,” Bellon said.

Williston tightened up the playoff chase by surprising Minot, and the Braves could pull into a tie with the Majettes if they can do the same. Regardless, if the Braves can beat Williston, it would take a few big upsets to keep Mandan from heading to Grand Forks.

“These are crucial games,” Mack said.

Bellon is grateful she will get to play in them. That was very much in doubt when she was dealing with the aftereffects of her concussion.

“I was vomiting, blacking out and I had a lot of memory loss,” she said. “When I tried skating one time, it was like I forgot how to skate. ... It was a horrible experience.” And Bellon said the toll was emotional as well as physical.

“When I was out with my concussion, I was definitely a different person,” she said. “I wasn’t all cheerful and happy anymore. I just wanted to get back on the ice.” Bellon said she is back to 100 percent physically, but acknowledged some trepidation about returning.

“This is my first week back,” she said. “It’s kind of hard adjusting and being able to let somebody hit you, because you don’t want to get hit again.”

But don’t expect that feeling to slow down Bellon.

“We have a motto — never give up,” she said. “We’re definitely holding to it. We’re not going to give up. We’re not going to stop until that last game.”

Big Games Ahead For Braves
Read more: http://bismarcktribune.com/sports/high- ... f887a.html

O’Hara Shipe
“At 28 years old, O’Hara Shipe has retired.

Roughly one year ago, the former professional hockey player returned to her hometown of Anchorage facing an abrupt end to her career and little sense of what to do next.

Hockey has always been Shipe’s driving force. The rink is where the goaltender feels most confident and alive. For Shipe, hockey opened the door to an Ivy League education and years of international travel.

But that’s over now. Injuries sustained on the ice have forced her to hang up her skates.

“Athletes die twice,” Baseball legend Jackie Robinson once said. When athletes retire, they not only lose their source of income, but are also forced to confront a changing sense of identity.

“My entire self-worth has always been hockey-related,” Shipe said during an interview in February. “If I’m not a hockey player, and that’s who I’ve been my whole life, who am I now?”

...At 13 years old, on a partial scholarship, she flew out East to the boarding school whose lengthy list of notable alumni includes former presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush.

“I didn’t know,” Shipe said of the school’s academic reputation. “I thought I was going to go play some hockey.”

From prep school, hockey took her to Brown University, where she played Division I, the most competitive college division. She then spent a summer in St. Petersburg, Russia, where she was able to wrangle her way onto a men’s hockey team.

That summer, she returned to the states to attend the U.S. Women's National Team Evaluation Camp for players under 22 years old, a precursor to playing on the USA Hockey Olympic Team. During one game, though, she didn’t play as well as she wanted. Flustered, she pulled herself from the rink. That was a bad move, Olympic team members told her later. Coaches were looking for resiliency, they said.

Shipe believes she was dropped from the U.S. Olympic team’s radar due to that decision.

Disappointed, she returned to Brown University, and during her junior year mostly sat on the bench. So Shipe contacted USA Hockey again. The organization asked her to be a U.S. ambassador to Russia.

In 2007, at age 20, Shipe returned to Russia. This time she headed to Moscow. She became the first North American to be signed in the Russian League, she said. But after playing in the European Championships, the team dropped her contract. That was the first of numerous upheavals that would haunt her career.

Shipe bounced from Sweden to Canada, back to Sweden and then to Russia during the course of just a few years. One team lost its funding; another gave her little time on the ice; twice more her contract was canceled.

Finally, in September 2012, she was recruited to tend goal in Chelyabinsk, Russia. She loved the city and her teammates, she said. That would be her last professional gig.

The darkest days
Shipe realized something was wrong in early 2013, when she could no longer move in the net like before. A teammate had fallen on her during a game and had smashed her hip. Over time, a sharp pain above her hip worsened and became nearly unbearable.

She finally went to a doctor in Chelyabinsk. He told her that she was done playing hockey. She shouldn’t even be walking on that injury, he told her.

It wasn’t the first time a doctor had told her that her days playing hockey were finished. But this time, she knew intuitively that he was right. She wouldn’t receive a proper diagnosis until returning to Anchorage. She had a labral tear.

So in April 2013, Shipe returned, badly injured, to Anchorage.

On top of the hip injury, a few days after coming home she wound up in the emergency room two times, diagnosed with an ovarian cyst and then viral meningitis.

“This was not the homecoming I had hoped for,” Shipe wrote in a blog post later that year.

Without health insurance, and already facing mounting medical bills, Shipe spent months asking doctors for pro bono care. In September 2013, she was able to see a surgeon through Anchorage’s Project Access. The surgeon told her that hip surgery was inevitable.

That was her darkest moment, Shipe said. That’s when she really knew that her days playing professional hockey were over.

In November 2013, she underwent hip surgery. It looked like a bomb had gone off in her hip, the doctor told her afterward.

'I just can’t shake it'
Her injuries have left her in chronic pain. She has a herniated disk and a fractured pelvis. Her hockey career has left her with fake death, a torn ACL and a torn MCL. She never received proper treatment for either injury.

“You do kind of wake up in pain every day,” she said.

She also struggles to let hockey go, despite the fact that playing is painful.

During our first interview in February, Shipe spoke of her days playing hockey mostly in past tense. She was still playing, but only for men’s league hockey -- “beer league,” she called it -- a few nights a week.

But when we met a second time, a month later, hockey had jumped back into present tense. Shipe is waking up happy every day now, she said, because she’s signed up to play in the USA National Championships. The tournament at the end of March is the highest level hockey one can play that’s not professional, she explained. It’s the “big daddy” of tournaments in the U.S.

The National Championships will be her last tournament, she said, but in almost the same breath she admits that she has scheduled another tournament in April. The second tournament isn’t as competitive, she clarified. It’s not the same kind of hockey in her mind.

She says she wants to stop playing on “her terms,” and not due to injury. But when she will feel content leaving hockey behind still seems unclear.

Her doctors aren’t happy with her decision to continue playing. Most people don’t understand, Shipe said. She struggled to articulate what propels her to stay on the ice despite the pain it causes her body.

“I just can’t shake it,” she repeated.

While still playing part-time, Shipe maintains that her professional hockey career is over. That’s a tough pill to swallow.

An athlete’s plight to find work or self-worth after a person’s career has ended is well documented. Some injuries reverberate for the rest of an athlete’s life. In recent years, brain damage due to concussions has landed the NFL in extensive legal battles that eventually ended in a settlement. A recent New York Times article looks at the life of former college lineman Ryan Hoffman, who is now homeless. Mental problems may be associated with concussions, the article states, although it’s not certain.

Adjusting to financial changes can be difficult, too. According to a 2009 Sports Illustrated article, despite years of receiving enormous paychecks, 78 percent of NFL players two years into retirement have gone bankrupt or are under financial distress. Within five years, 60 percent are broke.

Societal conditioning is at least partially to blame, Shipe said. “You’re told your entire life that you’re nothing but a jock, and all of a sudden it’s gone.” So what do you do?
“There’s one of two ways you’re going to go,” Shipe said of life after professional sports.

The first option is the bitter route. Shipe has been there. “I was so angry with hockey,” Shipe said. “How does this thing that I give my entire life to, and dedicate my life to absolutely and entirely, destroy my body? And how does it prevent me from getting a job?”

Some former professional athletes never break away from this perspective, Shipe said.

The other route? Be thankful for what you had.

“It’s really hard, but I’ve found other things that I’m excited about,” Shipe said.

Iced: Pro Hockey Player Hangs Up Her Skates, Returns To Alaska
Read more: http://www.adn.com/article/20150315/ice ... rns-alaska

Nadine Mayer
“Eveleth-Gilbert looks primed to make another run to the state tournament, while International Falls is trying to rebound from a rash of injuries.

The defending Section 7A champions shutout the Broncos 4-0 at home Tuesday, winning for the 10th time in 11 games.

Vicky Fossland pitched the shutout with 17 saves, while Kayla Moe had three assists. Caley Westin, Kaylen Erchul, Katie Kingston and Jordana Turner scored for the Golden Bears (15-4-1), ranked No. 15 in Class A.

Meanwhile, the Broncos lost their fourth straight after opening the season 8-3-2.

“We’re not physically strong right now. We’re beat down,” Broncos head coach Gerald Bolstad said.

Alyssa Bergstrom was a game-time scratch, Sydney Gordon didn’t make the trip because she was sick and Nadine Mayer played sparingly and continues to feel the affects of a concussion she suffered earlier in the season, according to Bolstad.

“We just need to get healthy again. That’s what we keep saying,” Bolstad said. “Mentally, we’re beat down. Physically, we’re beat down. You have to get through it and move on.”

Hockey: Golden Bears Eye Section Title, Shutout Broncos
http://www.ifallsjournal.com/news/sport ... 00799.html

Sawyer Heacock-Chambers
“Jordan and Pippen. Montana and Rice. Gretzky and Messier. Sports is filled with dynamic duos that, while separate, are incredible athletes and become even better when they come together. Whether it’s their off-the-field work, or dazzling, almost telekinetic chemistry in the limelight, the sum of each part offers spectators something special.

Meet the Missoula Lady Bruins own fearsome twosome: Sawyer Heacock-Chambers and Sonja France.

The Lady Bruins’ only two seniors have been skating on the same team since they were 9 years old and now, nearly a decade later, they find themselves on the same line of both the town’s team and the girls’ state hockey team, the Montana Big Sky Wildcats.

Both forwards are savvy around the net, as Heacock-Chambers and France lead the team with 15 and nine goals, respectively, before the start of the weekend’s Northern Rockies Classic at Glacier Ice Rink. The pair each tallied hat tricks in their last tournament with the Lady Bruins and the two swear they just know where the other is going to be.
That bodes well for a Lady Bruins team looking to capture its third state title in four years.

“Q. Plans next year? After hockey?
France. I’m just taking it one year at a time. If I have the opportunity to skate that’d be great, but I think my academics come first on where I choose to go to school. I have a lot of other choices. I’m kind of interested in pre-med.

Heacock-Chambers. She’s really smart.

France. Sawyer wants to be a nurse, though, she’s like the team nurse. When they have injuries they always go to her.

Heacock-Chambers. I applied to Boise State and Montana State. I was really interested in playing hockey at first but I’ve had some concussions - brains are important.”

Friendship Between Seniors Heacock-Chambers, France, Helps Them Lead On Rink
http://missoulian.com/sports/high-schoo ... 71e58.html