The conversation regarding big hits and head injuries in sport has changed in recent years. With an increased understanding of the mental, physical and emotional toll that repeated head trauma takes on the human brain, changes have been implemented from the amateur through the professional level in order to ensure that the prevalence of concussions decreases.
For some contact-based sports though, like hockey and football, it is all-but impossible to avoid head injuries entirely. But that hasn't stopped some Ivy League coaches from taking a major step toward eliminating the chances of their players suffering a significant and traumatic injury.
In an unprecedented move, eight Ivy League football coaches voted unanimously this week to approve a measure that would eliminate all full-contact hitting from regular season practices. The Ivy League already has regulations in place limiting the amount of contact permissible during practices in the spring and preseason, which are above and beyond what any other football league, professional or otherwise, has implemented.
"We're not trying to change the nature of the game, we're just trying to make it safer," Ivy League Executive Director Robin Harris said.
Some changes at higher levels have already had the desired effect. In the NFL, limits outlined in the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, reached in 2012, on the amount of contact in preseason and training camp, have caused the amount of reported concussions suffered to drop.
But this latest move would be a groundbreaking one for the sport in its entirety. For a good - or terrifying, as it were - glimpse into what concussions can do to a person's ability to function on a normal level, look no farther than this first-person account from former professional hockey player and Dartmouth graduate, Adam Estoclet.
In a way, the initiative was spearheaded by Dartmouth and head coach Buddy Teevens. In an effort to reduce injuries, Teevens did away with full-contact practices during the season, starting in 2010. In place of teammates, Teevens' players would hit pads and tackling dummies. There's even a virtual player, able to move across the field on its own, that Dartmouth players will run down.
The changes won't entirely remove the possibility of a serious injury, to the head or other area of the body, for these players. But the Ivy League's plan, combined with the steps taken by the NFL and some high schools across the nation, should result in fewer traumatic brain injuries and a greater chance of long-term health for these athletes.
