On Sept. 8 I attended Herrick’s High School’s first varsity football game of the season and witnessed an absolutely horrifying event.
Before halftime the Herrick’s quarterback (150 pounds) was repeatedly pummeled by Elmont opponents.
During one play, the audience watched as a loud, brutal hit caused the quaterback’s head to snap way back, knocking him to the ground.
The crowd fell silent, collectively holding its breath. After a few seconds of motionlessness, the player got up, walked several steps then dropped to his knees and vomited.
It was awful. I have never, ever witnessed this in even professional games, much less at a high school game.
The QB then rose, walked over to the bench and sat down while an adult stayed with him and others walked up to him, chatted and walked away. What occurred next floored me and many in the crowd; within minutes the QB got back in the game, taking many additional hits until thankfully– finally the game ended. And, looking terribly beat, with his head down, the QB slowly dragged himself off the field with the rest of his teammates!!
That weekend I was visiting Long Island from out of town. I do not, nor ever had, children in the Herrick’s School District.
However, I am a state resident, read the news and consider myself informed – to include an awareness of the horrendous head injuries and preventive measures being implemented at every level to prevent, detect and address concussions resulting from athletics.
Every week on the state, local or national level one can read reports about concussions: how to detect them (vomiting may be an indicator), improved helmet designs, the long term effects of concussions, an update on a student whose life will never be the same after a head injury, or a fund raising effort by a devastated family who lost a child to a head injury.
Consequently, I like many others, am aware that in addition to the changes in head gear, last year The Concussion Management and Awareness Act became law and was designed to transform the way student athletes and adults who supervise them, treat head injuries.
Not only does the law require that each schools’ coach, athletic trainer, PE teacher and nurse take a course on concussions, the law also requires that if it is even suspected a student has sustained a concussion, they must be removed from play or practice.
Given all this: Why was the Herrick’s quarterback not immediately fully and completely medically evaluated after being hit so violently and then vomiting? Why was the quarterback allowed to continue to play that day? What is the assessment process and who owns it? Who at the scene was responsible for safeguarding the quarterback’s wellbeing?
As an adult and mother I found the occurrences on that field absolutely unacceptable. It was like watching a nightmare: one where the adults, to include school leadership and officials, were incapable or uninterested in doing the right thing, so the nightmare continued. We, the adults in the audience, the coaches etc. not only let down the quarterback and all those playing in that game, but also endangered those we are charged with protecting.
The Herrick’s community needs to work at keeping our children safe. It is not just about protective equipment. It is about adults being true leaders by making tough, and sometimes unpopular, decisions.
Jean Bileschi
Rochester
