Concussions in Sports

Concussions are a serious risk in sports, affecting athletes in many ways beyond just physical injury. Whether from a hard hit in football, a fall in cheerleading, or a collision in soccer, the impact can lead to lasting effects on daily life, schoolwork, and mental health. 

A concussion is a type of brain injury caused by a blow or jolt to the head that disrupts normal brain function. It can lead to symptoms like headaches, dizziness, confusion, and memory problems. While most concussions are not life-threatening, they can have serious long-term effects if not properly treated and allowed to heal.

Athletes like Ismael Del Toro, Xianna, Suzie Sloh, Chloe Salles-Acevedo, Victoria Mazur, Danilynn Conte, Clare Gerdes, and Caylee Muni shared their personal experiences with concussions, revealing how the injury changed their routines and forced them to take a step back from the sports they love. Their stories highlight the importance of recognizing the seriousness of concussions, getting proper treatment, and allowing time to heal.

Listed below are the 3 questions I asked these athletes:

1. Can you describe the moment you got your concussion? What happened?

2. How did your daily routine or activities change while you were recovering? What kind of support or treatment helped you the most during your recovery?

3. What advice would you give to someone who just got a concussion?

Ismael Del Toro

Senior, Swim

When I was in one of my swim meets against Lawrence, I was doing the 200 IM, and I was on backstroke when it happened. I couldn’t see because my goggles had water in them, and I hit my head really hard on the wall. I couldn’t breathe when it happened, but I finished the race in second place. Afterward, it felt like I was going to pass out when I got out of the water, so I went to the trainer. The next day, I passed out for a while when I was home.

Well, I couldn’t be on my phone a lot, and I had to take it really easy during practice. I couldn’t do much and had to relax and watch everyone else swim, but I couldn’t join in.

If you’re ever swimming fast and beating someone, make sure you know how far you are from anything so you don’t accidentally hit yourself.

Xianna

Senior, Cheerleader

I’ve had many concussions, but with my most recent one, it happened a little differently. It was during a basket toss, and the girl came down in an uncoordinated way and ended up hitting me in the head. The force of her body weight made the impact worse. Her fist hit my face and slid down.

At first, I didn’t get it treated because I had two weeks until competition. It wasn’t until I passed out at competition that I took it seriously. I still did my routine normally—school, work—but I wore sunglasses and took breaks when needed.

Take it seriously. Don’t wait it out; get treated immediately. Long-term effects are real—my memory is still not the best.

Danilynn Conte

Sophomore, Soccer

A ball was played into the box from outside the 18-yard line, reflecting off a corner kick. I went to head the ball hoping to score, but instead, I collided with the other team’s goalie. As she tried to hit the ball out of the air, her head struck mine with a lot of force. The first thing I remember was a throbbing pain in my head, although thankfully, I didn’t black out or lose consciousness. I sat on the bench for the rest of the second half, but even when I tried to get up, I felt dizzy. My coach directed me to go to the trainer. I felt better the next day, and since this happened during a tournament, I (stupidly) played a whole game after the hit. The dizziness and other symptoms started after that, when I got home.

The biggest changes were my inability to participate in school due to bad headaches and my inability to get back to playing travel soccer (this happened after high school spring sports and during travel soccer). It was difficult to do simple work in class, especially when it involved laptops, as I was told to stay off devices with screens. Resting whenever I could and avoiding bright lights and screens helped the most.

My biggest piece of advice would be to listen 100% to the doctors when they say to stay off your phone. The screen makes headaches much worse (at least for me). I found that coloring was a fun and entertaining alternative to keep myself off my phone.

Chloe Salles-Acevedo

Junior, Volleyball

I was playing volleyball when someone spiked the ball really hard into my head, and I ended up collapsing from the impact. It felt like my entire brain had shaken—it was awful. Later that day, my mom took me to the ER, and they said I had a mild concussion.

Resting was the most important part of my recovery, and staying off electronics to let my brain rest. This helped avoid making it worse.

Just rest, try to sleep, and stay off electronics. If you’re going outside, wear sunglasses.

Victoria Mazur

Senior, Basketball

This happened during a basketball game on December 19th, 2022. I got the ball thrown at my face by the other team really hard.

I spent less time on my phone and watching TV until my headaches went away. My family’s support really helped me through.

Take care of yourself during the process, and don’t do anything that will make it worse or cause more pain.

Suzie Sloh

Senior, Cheerleading

We were stunting (lifting a girl up), and she fell on me. My head hit the ground, and when I tried to get up, I felt a sharp pain in my head.

My screen time decreased significantly. Doing schoolwork became a challenge because my vision was blurred, I suffered from chronic headaches, and I couldn’t get up too fast without feeling sharp pains in my head.

Rest, rest, rest. Give your eyes a break from screens, and do schoolwork in moderation.

Clare Gerdes

Sophomore, Cheerleading

I was stunting, and I fell from the stunt onto my butt. My head flew back on impact.

I wasn’t allowed to use my phone and had to rest, just staring at the ceiling. It was very isolating, and I couldn’t do a lot of the things I wanted to do. I didn’t go to school when it happened, and I had to get cleared by not only my doctor but by Ms. Jen. She made me do certain exercises and take the impact test, which I failed twice and had to retake.

Drink a lot of water and stay off your phone—your phone will make your headache worse. Take it easy, and don’t force yourself to do anything right away.

Caylee Muni

Sophomore, Cheerleading

When I first got my concussion, I didn’t even think it was a concussion because I got hit on the side of my face during cheer. I honestly just thought I’d get a bruise, and it just really hurt. But as the day went on, my headache got worse and worse. During a stunt, I had to throw my flyer in the air and catch her, but when she went to flip, half of her body hit my face. I remember how bad it hurt, and I ran out of the gym to catch my breath.

I couldn’t cheer, and cheer is like my escape from things, so it made everything a lot more stressful. I started sleeping more, and I didn’t want to do anything because of how bad my head hurt—I just wanted it to stop. My friends and family were a huge support and helped me a lot.

Take it easy. It’s going to be very stressful, and you might not know what to do at first, but make sure to let yourself relax and not get too overwhelmed. Rest, rest, rest! Even though the headache might still come back when you’re up, resting helps in the long run.

In conclusion, the experiences shared by Ismael, Xianna, Suzie, Chloe, Victoria, Danilynn, Clare, and Caylee highlight how concussions can deeply affect athletes both physically and emotionally. Their stories emphasize the importance of proper care, rest, and seeking immediate treatment to ensure a full recovery. By following medical advice and taking time to heal, athletes can prevent long-term issues and return to their sports safely.