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AKRON, OH – This afternoon a sports concussion and brain injury town hall was held at Shaw Jewish Community Center of Akron. The town hall, with an audience of around 80 people, was part of the Sarah Jane Brain Project’s 40+ state national brain injury tour. This particular event addressed “Sports Concussion and Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.”
The panel was moderated by Roberta DePompei, a Ph.D. who is a professor at The University of Akron and DeAnna Frye, Ph.D. who is Neuropsychologist with Neurology and Neuroscience Associates.
Panelist Yolanda Holler, MD, with Pediatric Neurologist Children’s Hospital Medical Center of Akron, discussed concussion symptoms and pointed out that “only 10% of people who have a concussion actually loose consciousness.”
Hollie Kozak, M.Ed. AT is a manager at Summa Center for Sports Health @ St. Thomas Hospital and President of the Ohio Athletic Trainers’ Association. She told the crowd that there is “concussion legislation that is in committee right now and it is a great first step to educate parents and coaches.”
Also on the panel was Tallmadge High School football coach, Joe Vassolatti. He recalled that he had likely had concussions when he was young but that they weren’t taken as seriously at that time. Coach Vassolatti also stated that “the standardization of youth sports concussion protocol helps because there are a lot of grey areas.”
Erik Godard who sustained a concussion while playing high school basketball and his mother, Pam Amundson Godard, spoke about their personal experience with brain injury and how important it is to know the signs and symptoms.