Kicking Concussions

Personal adversity can sometime produce a commitment to change.  Caroline Cohen is a high school student in our town who suffered several concussions in sports activities, the most recently in 2011 during a Memorial Day soccer tournament.  Following that last injury, she was forced to miss school and, eventually, to give up all contact sports.

To help spread the word about concussion awareness, she recently organized a one-day, 3v3 "Kicking Concussions" tournament for U10, U12, and U14 girls in our town.  The proceeds from the tournament were designated to benefit the Boston University Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy, a research institute where they study chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), degenerative brain disease that results from traumatic head injuries.

Caroline noted, "Through this tournament, I hoped to raise money for advanced research in the field, in addition to educating younger players about concussions."

Supported by her friends (Caroline seen here with her buddy Katie Nugent) and some local merchants who offered prizes, the tournament was publicized widely among the town's girls soccer community.

Well, the day was a great success!  Dozens of girls played dozens of games, and they were able to raise over $1000 for the cause.