Couldn't agree more with the sentiment here. I'd also add we need this same type of locker room talk in the NCAA. As a former player myself, this is something that never gets discussed amongst old teammates, despite the NCAA's concussion settlement monitoring. Even if you don't have CTE, it's impossible not to leave your keys in the door one day and wonder if it's the beginning of a decline or if you were just plain old absent minded.
Apologies if this is just a mind dump of thoughts.
I agree with that it’s a messy situation in general. I feel this is perpetuated by the organizations, the encouragement of fans to hit harder or be more aggressive, the sponsorship $ for teams, and the drive to ultimately be a profitable business. These can end up keeping an unhealthy constant spiral of toxic masculinity and brutality, and doesn't allow space for much else. This can also have an impact on players and team faculty bottling up emotions afraid of how a player is being perceived. They are human, like all of us, just gifted in athleticism.
Where is the bonding and sport psychology as group work? What about Somatic Therapy as a team? If you knew your strength & weakness, as much as your teammates, wouldn’t that bond the team to be tighter, the players and teams to look out for each through sportsmanship, and ultimately put pressure on the NFL organization to shed light on the real truth?
Thank you so much for writing about this! As a parent of a child with a TBI (equestrian hunter jumper) and former teacher of many, many football players, it breaks my heart. How do you warn kids of the potentially life-altering/ending injuries without letting them have autonomy over their bodies? My daughter had multiple concussions from falls, and the one big one knocked her out of physical activity for two and a half months. Horse riding eased her anxiety and gave her tons of confidence most teenaged girls never develop. It also made her have to drop advanced math, has caused her headaches while trying to concentrate on school work, kept her from going to concerts because of the noise, and has led to worsening anxiety and nerve pain. She’s 21 and trying to get through college, which has been a struggle. I think about all the football players I worked with who went through similar injuries as teens, before going on to advanced levels. This issue is so important. Kids need to know how to assess the pros and cons of the damage they’re doing as young people.
I was inspired to write a novel about two men dealing with the physical aftermath of their athletic careers. Fingers crossed it gets picked up for publication. Thanks again!
Couldn't agree more with the sentiment here. I'd also add we need this same type of locker room talk in the NCAA. As a former player myself, this is something that never gets discussed amongst old teammates, despite the NCAA's concussion settlement monitoring. Even if you don't have CTE, it's impossible not to leave your keys in the door one day and wonder if it's the beginning of a decline or if you were just plain old absent minded.
Apologies if this is just a mind dump of thoughts.
I agree with that it’s a messy situation in general. I feel this is perpetuated by the organizations, the encouragement of fans to hit harder or be more aggressive, the sponsorship $ for teams, and the drive to ultimately be a profitable business. These can end up keeping an unhealthy constant spiral of toxic masculinity and brutality, and doesn't allow space for much else. This can also have an impact on players and team faculty bottling up emotions afraid of how a player is being perceived. They are human, like all of us, just gifted in athleticism.
Where is the bonding and sport psychology as group work? What about Somatic Therapy as a team? If you knew your strength & weakness, as much as your teammates, wouldn’t that bond the team to be tighter, the players and teams to look out for each through sportsmanship, and ultimately put pressure on the NFL organization to shed light on the real truth?
Just a thought.
Thanks.
Really good post.
Thank you so much for writing about this! As a parent of a child with a TBI (equestrian hunter jumper) and former teacher of many, many football players, it breaks my heart. How do you warn kids of the potentially life-altering/ending injuries without letting them have autonomy over their bodies? My daughter had multiple concussions from falls, and the one big one knocked her out of physical activity for two and a half months. Horse riding eased her anxiety and gave her tons of confidence most teenaged girls never develop. It also made her have to drop advanced math, has caused her headaches while trying to concentrate on school work, kept her from going to concerts because of the noise, and has led to worsening anxiety and nerve pain. She’s 21 and trying to get through college, which has been a struggle. I think about all the football players I worked with who went through similar injuries as teens, before going on to advanced levels. This issue is so important. Kids need to know how to assess the pros and cons of the damage they’re doing as young people.
I was inspired to write a novel about two men dealing with the physical aftermath of their athletic careers. Fingers crossed it gets picked up for publication. Thanks again!