In the new movie Concussion, premiering Christmas Day, Will Smith plays a Forensic Pathologist who discovers neurological deterioration (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) in football players. He goes on to spread the word about concussions to help keep athletes safe. This blog aims to do the same.

What exactly is a concussion? According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, a concussion is a traumatic brain injury where a blow to the head causes the brain to move back and forth in the skull. This movement in the brain can change chemicals in the brain and bruise it. Concussions can also lead to more serious issues later in life, including chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

What sports are they most prevalent in? For male athletes, they are most prevalent in football and hockey, whereas for female athletes, it is soccer and lacrosse.

How do I know if my athlete has a concussion? Symptoms of concussions include: loss of consciousness, memory, or coordination; headache or feeling of pressure; nausea or vomiting; fatigue or sluggishness; and ringing in the ears. If you suspect your athlete of having a concussion, it is important to bring them to a doctor right away.

What is the best way to overcome a concussion? The only way to recover is giving the brain time to recover. This involves restricting activity as well as giving it the rest it needs, which includes reducing screen time on computers and TVs as well.

How can we prevent concussions? The only way to fully prevent sport-related concussions would be to abstain from sport; however there are preventative measures that can be taken to reduce risk. Make sure that you wear the proper equipment for the sport, use proper technique for physical contact sports, follow the rules when it comes to tackling, checking, etc., and have good sportsmanship.

Concussion premieres December 25th. Be sure to check it out!’

A common concern of parents with young athletes is whether they should have their child specialize in a particular sport. Athletes have been specializing earlier and earlier in their athletic careers in order to attempt to achieve high or elite athletic status. Some parents feel pressure from coaches to keep their kid training for one sport day in and day out in order to keep up with traveling or competitive teams—if they don’t, they run the risk that their child will be a step behind everyone they are competing against. As a result, sport becomes more structured and scheduled while being less about fun and spontaneity. While parents and coaches have the best intentions, specializing, especially early on, could have adverse effects on the child’s athletic future. So, instead of asking, “At what age should my child specialize at one sport?” parents should instead ask, “What are the benefits of specialization compared to being a well rounded athlete in multiple sports?”

For starters, the impact of specialization depends on the sport. Specializing in gymnastics is beneficial considering that gymnasts’ athletic careers start in their mid-teens. With that being said, specializing at an early age in order to play in college may work against the athlete. In Changing the Game Project’s article, “Is it Wise to Specialize,” they list multiple research-backed traits that multi-sport athletes have compared to one-sport specialized athletes. Some of these include, “better overall skills and ability,” and “smarter, more creative players.” Not to mention that the majority of collegiate athletes played more than one sport growing up. Playing multiple sports not only makes your athlete more well rounded as a person, but can also help them athletically in the long run.

While research has shown that playing multiple sports helps make athletes more well rounded, early sport specialization also has its benefits. These benefits include success early on in a sport (which can be helpful within certain sports as discussed about gymnastics earlier), and short-term access to better coaches, programs, and competitions. However, there are many risks associated with specialization in sports. One of the main concerns is injury. A study at Loyola University found that athletes who specialized were 70-90% more likely to be injured. Other negative affects of specialization early on are burnout, adult physical inactivity, stress, lack of enjoyment, and quitting.

So when should your child specialize in one particular sport? If you were basing your decision off of research the answer would be never—they can always be doing something more than just their one favorite sport; however, ultimately it is up to the athlete and the parents. Even so, don’t follow the trends regarding when your athlete “needs” to specialize by. Focus on having a well-rounded athlete who can split their time between multiple activities instead of just one—this will prepare them to be a well-rounded person in all that they do outside the world of athletics.

For further information on specialization, click here and here.

Sport Spotlight: Archery is the first installment in our new series of spotlight blogs. Each blog will focus on one sport that isn’t commonly publicized while explaining the basic rules and exploring how athletes in Minnesota can participate.

Archery dates back to 2800 B.C.E. with the construction of the first bow and arrow by the Egyptians. Today, archery is both recreational and competitive—the activities range from casual day bowhunting to shooting at a range to Olympic events.

Basic Rules and Regulations

The purpose of archery is to hit the desired target(s); points are then calculated based on where the arrow hits the targets throughout the course of a round. Regardless of the type of archery, most of the rules apply to all ranges or courses. There are many designated lines for each destination on the course like the shooting line, waiting line, and target line. The shooting and waiting lines are pretty self explanatory, and the target line acts as a warning mark for younger archers retrieving their bows from the target. When taking back arrows it is important to proceed with caution and stand on either side of the target while retrieving them.

These lines and the course are all monitored by whistle blasts, which are used to communicate when to shoot and when to stop. Each number of blasts has a different function: one whistle blast signals the archer at the shooting line to put the arrow in the bow and start shooting, two whistle blasts signals the next archer to move to the shooting line from the waiting line, three whistle blasts tells the archer to retrieve their arrows, and four or more blasts means to stop shooting.

Types of Archery

There are five different types of archery: field, 3D, traditional, bowhunting, and target.

Field archery takes place on a course set up in the woods where archers hike around and shoot paper targets from 20 to 80 yards away. In 3D archery , archers shoot at foam animals at a distance either on a wooded or open course. Traditional archery comes down to the type of arrow and bow the archer is shooting with and is subjective to the archer. Bowhunting is a form of hunting game with a bow and arrow—it requires a license and only takes place during certain seasons. Finally, target archery—the most popular form of archery—consists of shooting a bullseye like target from a distance of 30 to 90 meters outdoors and 18 or 20 indoors. The Olympics feature target archery, as do national and local competitions. Due to its stake in competitions, USA Archery governs target archery.

Archery in Minnesota

Target archery is becoming popular in Minnesota high schools: According to the DNR, over 300 schools participate through some form of school program. Archery has had a state tournament for the past 11 years, and the most recent tournament featured 1,313 athletes after regionals in January and February. There are many archery ranges in Minnesota to try out archery regardless of experience. To get started, take a beginner class either through a range or a community center.

For more on archery, check out Archery360.