Phenomenal article! That's as good as I've ever read on the subject!

I coached Jr. High Football for two years. It was, at the same time, the best and worst of experiences.

Worst? We had a kid in concussion protocol. The kid was a smallish but very willing receiver with good hands. But he just got mashed. Came back from the first one (with his doctors OK) and promptly got mashed again. We told him he was welcome at practice (he was a great kid) but no more contact that year. His mom freaked out and threatened to sue the league. We had to play him and guess what? Yep. Three concussions in one year. I'm not convinced that it wasn't just one. She thought he was her meal ticket.

The best? We had a kid that just wasn't an athlete that wanted to play and his grandfather (who was raising him) made it happen. The kid was so helpless at the start in a league where everybody played. I mean he was pathetic. The team sort of adopted him, helped him get in shape, ran with him. In the league championship game on the last play of the game from the 2 yard line he made a solo tackle that saved the game. What a celebration that was.

I'm so glad I got to play cause I wanted to. The consequence is that I still love baseball 60 years later.

Thanks for an extraordinary post on a great subject.