The brain on youth sports : the science, the myths, and the future

Stamm, Julie M. 1987- (author.).

Summary: In The Brain on Youth Sports, Julie Stamm dissects the issue of repetitive brain trauma in youth sports, clearly explaining the science behind concussions, CTE, and subconcussive impacts. It's not all about concussions. Repetitive impacts that happen with every soccer header or football tackle can damage the brain, too. The consequences can be even worse for a child's developing brain. Stamm counters the myths, bad arguments, and propaganda around youth contact sports and offers guidance for parents of athletes and those hoping to make sports safer for everyone. Stamm, a former athlete herself, understands the many wonderful benefits that come from playing youth sports and believes all children should have the opportunity to play without the risk of long-term consequences. No athlete has to sustain hundreds of impacts and repetitive brain trauma in order to gain the benefits of sports. This work is a must-read before you suit up your child for another practice or send your team out for another game. --

Record details

ISBN: 9781538143193
ISBN: 1538143194
ISBN: 9781538143209
Physical Description: print
x, 233 pages ; 24 cm
Publisher: Lanham : Rowman & Littlefield, [2021]

Content descriptions

Bibliography, etc. Note:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Formatted Contents Note:

Preface : why I wrote this book -- Part I. Youth sports: the wins and the losses. 1 Why we should care about repetitive brain trauma in youth sports ; 2 How youth sports can provide a lifetime of benefits ; 3 Why sports culture needs a transformation -- Part II. The science: what we know about repetitive brain trauma in sports. 4. Why kids really do hit that hard ; 5. Why the young brain is vulnerable ; 6. Why it's not all about concussions ; 7 Why head impacts in youth sports may be disrupting brain development ; 8 Why CTE is more than an NFL problem, and what it means for youth sports -- Part III. Bad arguments for maintaining the status quo in youth contact sports. 9 Why the argument that "other sports are dangerous too" is a bad one ; 10 Why helmets and other technology won't solve the problem ; 11 Why "safer than ever" may not be safe enough ; 12 Why you don't have to hit at a young age to be a superstar ; 13 Why the benefits of sports can be gained without repetitive brain trauma -- Part IV. The future of youth contact sports. 14 How we can change contact sports to protect children's brains ; 15 What families and athletes can do to stay safe in youth sports ; 16 What you can do to improve the safety of youth sports in your community -- Conclusion : how much do we have to know and how bad do the risks have to be?