by Publisher | Mar 27, 2012 | News Coverage, Print Coverage
Our lives changed when David suffered his third concussion. It was the district final in soccer against our rival high school and my freshman had just gone into the biggest game of his life. After he had head to head contact, he kept playing the rest of the game and attended club practice the next day. After the practice he collapsed and we all realized something was wrong. David had a concussion and proceeded to have post concussion symptoms for more than three months. After educating ourselves on the dangers of second impact syndrome and the dangers of going back to activity too soon, David decided to speak out and help educate his community on traumatic brain injuries. He started at his school, then he spoke to all the PE teachers, trainers and athletic directors in Miami-Dade County. He even raised the funds so that all of the public high school students could have baseline and post concussion testing for the next four years.
But David did not stop at there. David traveled to the state capitol four times to speak to Representatives and Senators to explain why their support was needed and why we needed to pass legislation. “My experience of passing youth concussion legislation was interesting, frustrating, and rewarding. My Dad tells me that I have received a civics lesson like no other. I learned an incredible amount about the political process, the incredible amount of work it takes to pass a bill, the importance of networking and establishing connections, and the devotion to the cause that is required to drive legislation into a law. I endured a lot of stress, worry, and disappointment over the last year and a half, whether it be from fretting over the bill’s four day stall in the Senate Budget Committee this year or the failure to pass the bill a year ago,” explains David.
“In the end, a sweet victory with unanimous votes on the House and Senate Floors was achieved. The legislation’s passing means that youth athletes will be out of the game and under expert care when they are injured, so that they can get back to the game safely. I supported this legislation so that kids do not have to suffer the way that I did from my concussions.” said David. It was great to be on the same team as the NFL who also worked hard to see that this legislation was supported and passed. It was extremely important to have strong bill sponsors, Sen. Anitere Flores and Rep. Ronald Renuart, who worked hard to ensure that special interest groups did not derail the bill while preserving a good return to play scenario and that the bill was on the agenda for the needed committee hearings and eventually voted on before the end of the legislative session. We are elated that Governor Rick Scott will sign this bill in the next couple of weeks.
By: Cheryl and David Goldstein
by Publisher | Mar 15, 2012 | News Coverage, Print Coverage
State Sen. Anitere Flores successfully steered SB256/HB291 through the Legislature one year after a similar bill was defeated. She demonstrated commitment and perseverance in pushing legislation that promotes awareness of the dangers of concussion to youth athletes.
It specifies that an athlete must sit out when there’s a head injury and establishes who can determine when the athlete can return to play. It was refreshing to see agendas set aside and the health and wellbeing of Florida’s children put first with unanimous approvals in the House and the Senate.
David Goldstein, student, Ransom Everglades School, Coconut Grove
by Publisher | Mar 8, 2012 | News Coverage, Print Coverage
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Florida Legislature today unanimously passed a bill that will help prevent head injuries among student athletes in Florida. Sponsored by Senator Anitere Flores, R-Miami, the bill passed unanimously from the Senate and will now be sent to Governor Rick Scott for the opportunity to be signed into law. Educating youth athletes, coaches and parents about the warning signs for concussions, Senate Bill 256 aims to protect injured athletes from getting back into the game too soon.
“I heard personally from concerned constituents about the lack of awareness regarding head injuries and the proper precautions,” said Flores. “All too often, athletes get back in the game without fully considering their injuries and the potential for long-term cognitive deficits. I am very proud of the strides that were made today to help protect Florida’s student athletes and am thankful for the broad support from both sides of the aisle.”
Traumatic brain injuries occur when a player receives a major blow to the head that causes the brain to slam against the skull, resulting in soft tissue injury and cell death. Often, there is a second injury as the brain rebounds against the opposite side of the skull. These injuries can occur in a variety of sports’ games, tryouts and practices, including football, volleyball, baseball, lacrosse and cheerleading. According to the Center for Injury Research and Policy, of the approximately 140,000 high school athletes who suffer concussions each year in the United States, more than 40 percent return to play before properly recovering. Such head injuries can have profound effects on children with developing brains. In extreme cases, injuries can even lead to death.
Currently, at least 30 other states have adopted legislation similar to Flores’ bill, which is supported by the National Football League and the National Collegiate Athletic Association. SB 256 will educate parents, student athletes and coaches on the risk and identification of brain injuries. It also authorizes the Florida High School Athletic Association and coaches’ associations to create rules for removing student athletes when brain injuries occur, and it establishes a policy to return players back to play after their recovery with the authorization of a doctor.
Seventeen-year-old Miami-Dade County resident David Goldstein and his parents, Adam and Cheryl Goldstein, were among the advocates who came to Tallahassee this session to advocate in support of the bill. David suffered a serious head injury in 2010 when he collided with another soccer player during the district finals for his school team. He knew immediately that something was not right, but he stayed in the game. In the days that followed, David exhibited flu-like symptoms followed by weeks without improvement. The Goldstein family went through months of medical consultations before identifying the proper treatment. Today, David is wise to the potential risks, wears protective headgear and knows how to identify the warning signs of traumatic brain injuries. He has also become an advocate for athlete education and concussion testing at local public schools in his area.
“David’s example resonates because this scary situation could happen to any player and any parent of a student athlete,” added Flores. “Without being educated about the potential risks, parents are simply unaware of the symptoms their child might be experiencing. SB 256 will help individuals assess these situations and provide the proper care.”’
To track the progress of this and other bills moving through the legislative process, visit
www.flsenate.gov.
by Publisher | Mar 8, 2012 | News Coverage, Print Coverage, Uncategorized
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Florida Legislature today unanimously passed a bill that will help prevent head injuries among student athletes in Florida. Sponsored by Senator Anitere Flores, R-Miami, the bill passed unanimously from the Senate and will now be sent to Governor Rick Scott for the opportunity to be signed into law. Educating youth athletes, coaches and parents about the warning signs for concussions, Senate Bill 256 aims to protect injured athletes from getting back into the game too soon.
“I heard personally from concerned constituents about the lack of awareness regarding head injuries and the proper precautions,” said Flores. “All too often, athletes get back in the game without fully considering their injuries and the potential for long-term cognitive deficits. I am very proud of the strides that were made today to help protect Florida’s student athletes and am thankful for the broad support from both sides of the aisle.”
Traumatic brain injuries occur when a player receives a major blow to the head that causes the brain to slam against the skull, resulting in soft tissue injury and cell death. Often, there is a second injury as the brain rebounds against the opposite side of the skull. These injuries can occur in a variety of sports’ games, tryouts and practices, including football, volleyball, baseball, lacrosse and cheerleading. According to the Center for Injury Research and Policy, of the approximately 140,000 high school athletes who suffer concussions each year in the United States, more than 40 percent return to play before properly recovering. Such head injuries can have profound effects on children with developing brains. In extreme cases, injuries can even lead to death.
Currently, at least 30 other states have adopted legislation similar to Flores’ bill, which is supported by the National Football League and the National Collegiate Athletic Association. SB 256 will educate parents, student athletes and coaches on the risk and identification of brain injuries. It also authorizes the Florida High School Athletic Association and coaches’ associations to create rules for removing student athletes when brain injuries occur, and it establishes a policy to return players back to play after their recovery with the authorization of a doctor.
Seventeen-year-old Miami-Dade County resident David Goldstein and his parents, Adam and Cheryl Goldstein, were among the advocates who came to Tallahassee this session to advocate in support of the bill. David suffered a serious head injury in 2010 when he collided with another soccer player during the district finals for his school team. He knew immediately that something was not right, but he stayed in the game. In the days that followed, David exhibited flu-like symptoms followed by weeks without improvement. The Goldstein family went through months of medical consultations before identifying the proper treatment. Today, David is wise to the potential risks, wears protective headgear and knows how to identify the warning signs of traumatic brain injuries. He has also become an advocate for athlete education and concussion testing at local public schools in his area.
“David’s example resonates because this scary situation could happen to any player and any parent of a student athlete,” added Flores. “Without being educated about the potential risks, parents are simply unaware of the symptoms their child might be experiencing. SB 256 will help individuals assess these situations and provide the proper care.”
by Publisher | Mar 1, 2012 | News Coverage, Print Coverage
TAMPA —
Youth sports leagues could be the latest group required to educate parents, players and coaches about head injuries and concussions.
Legislators in Florida’s House and Senate could vote this week on bills mandating new training for coaches and increased consent from the parents of young athletes, said sponsor Rep. Ronald “Doc” Renuart, R-Ponte Vedra Beach.
The law would apply rules that were implemented last year for the state’s high school sports programs to other youth sports clubs, such as the Florida Youth Soccer Association and Pop Warner football leagues.
“I think in these club sports, it’s more aggressive and there’s probability of injury,” said Cheryl Goldstein, a Miami mother whose son, David, suffered several concussions over the years while playing high school and club soccer. The teen, now 17, and his parents are lobbying legislators for the law.
Renuart knows some parents, coaches and athletes are skeptical about the rule, which is designed to give a child’s developing brain time to heal properly. But the pressure to get back in a game is secondary to a child’s health, he said.
“We want to … protect Johnny from his own parents or coach,” he said. “Sometimes we have to protect them from themselves.”
Sports-related concussions have been a growing issue for several years. Sports teams, from the peewee level to the National Football League, have been reacting to growing evidence that untreated concussions can cause lasting consequences. If passed, Florida will join 34 other states that have youth concussion policies.
Diana Brett of Davie says the bill can save lives. Her son, Daniel, was a high school freshman football player when he experienced a series of concussions during practice. He didn’t tell his coaches or parents about the injuries for weeks.
For 20 months, Brett said the family tried to treat Daniel’s dizziness, mood swings and migraines, but were unfamiliar with the sensitive nature of treating head injuries. The cumulative damage, and the loss of his dream to play college football, resulted in Daniel’s decision to commit suicide almost a year ago, Brett said. He was 16.
“We don’t want another family to go through the absolute hell we went through,” she said.
The Florida High School Athletic Association policy created a protocol for athletes suspected of having concussion-like symptoms. They are removed from play or practice, and not allowed to return without a doctor’s assessment and approval, which could be days or weeks later. Coaches also are required to watch a 20-minute concussion awareness video.
It’s not clear how similar the requirements are for the dozens of independent youth sports clubs across Florida. One of the largest, the Florida Youth Soccer Association, boasts a membership of more than 100,000 in its recreational and competitive clubs for boys and girls.
The soccer association does include general concussion education resources on its website, but it’s not clear if training is mandatory for coaches. A checklist for assessing concussions also is posted on the website, and includes a recommendation that athletes stay away from play for 24 hours after an injury. Officials did not respond to repeated calls for clarification about the rules.
An estimated 40,000 public and private high school coaches in Florida this school year have seen the training video, said Gary Pigott, Florida High School Athletic Association senior director of athletics. It helps them identify concussion symptoms, and reaffirms the importance of pulling the athlete out of the competition.
“There’s definitely more caution any time a concussion or suspected concussion is sustained,” Pigott said. “Two years ago if somebody hit their head, it was check them out and send them back in.”
Hillsborough County high schools implemented many of these concussion policies before the FHSAA, said Lanness Robinson, the district athletics director. Parent consent forms mention the risks associated to head injuries, and coaches viewed similar concussion education videos.
The local and high school association policies are working in part because they don’t place a financial burden on schools, Robinson said. If youth leagues have the proper infrastructure, implementing these rules can be uneventful, he said.
Renuart and Sen. Anitere Flores, R-Miami, unsuccessfully introduced the bills in 2011. The sticking point involved the practitioners authorized to clear a student athlete to play again. The FHSAA rule and the 2011 bill had designated that role for medical doctors or doctors of osteopathic medicine only.
Renuart, who is an osteopathic physician, said trainers and others may be qualified to identify a concussion. The return-to-play decision, however, needs to be left to people more familiar with a youth’s treatment and recovery.
“They know who is best qualified to make that decision,” he said, adding that last year’s opposition from the chiropractic industry has been dropped.
By MARY SHEDDEN | The Tampa Tribune
Published: February 19, 2012
by Publisher | Mar 1, 2012 | News Coverage, Print Coverage
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The National Football League and former Miami Dolphins star Nat Moore are calling on the Florida Senate to pass legislation that would require high school athletes to have medical clearance before they could return to competition after suffering a concussion.
The measure would also require coaches to remove any player from competition if there is suspicion the athlete has suffered a concussion. The legislation also has the backing of the Florida High School Athletic Association.
More than 30 states already have laws in place with restrictions on high school athletes who have suffered concussions. A bill to establish the legislation in Florida failed last year, but has unanimously passed the House this session and awaits Senate approval before going on to Gov. Rick Scott.
