Students playing high school athletics may experience concussions playing football, hockey, and soccer - - soccer? Yes, soccer, according to a two year study of Northland Pines female soccer players by UW-Madison that indicated the rate of concussions were twice as high in female players than males.
Pines soccer player participantion was voluntary and they were fitted with headgear of their choosing at no cost.
Athletic Director Brian Margelofsky (mar-ge-LOF-sky) reviewed the findings and found three statements that stuck out: -rate of concussions were twice as high for females; -there is a certain reduction for those wearing headgear; and -most concussions, 79%, occurred in game situations.
He felt there were more questions raised such as were coaches shying away from ball to head contact in practice and were players themselves less likely to head in parctice? Margelofsky felt offering headgear is good, was an added safety feature that could be offered, and let parents and players decide if they should use headgear.
