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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State Rep. Mike Sturla Chairman, Majority Policy Committee |
State Rep. Tim Briggs D-Montgomery Hearing Co-Chair |
Majority Policy Committee explores concussions in youth sports
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 11 – The House Majority Policy Committee held a public hearing in Philadelphia today looking at the issue of concussions in youth sports, according to committee Chairman Mike Sturla, D-Lancaster.
The hearing was requested and co-chaired by Montgomery County lawmaker, state Rep. Tim Briggs, who has introduced legislation on the issue.
"Sometimes in an effort to be the best, athletes don't take enough time to recover after sustaining an injury, which can have especially tragic effects on school-age athletes," Sturla said. "I thank and commend Representative Briggs for bringing the timely and important issue of youth sports concussions to the forefront in Pennsylvania."
Briggs said, "Far too often, student athletes return to the field too soon after suffering concussions or other brain injuries. The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) has some great guidelines in place for how such injuries to student athletes should be handled, but my bill (H.B. 2060) would strengthen those guidelines by backing them with a tough law. Further, the better informed parents are about the dangers of getting back in the game too soon, the better chance we have at preventing serious brain damage.
Those testifying at the hearing included Keith Primeau, former captain of Philadelphia Flyers and director of Player Development for the Las Vegas Wranglers; a panel from the Brain Injury Association of Pennsylvania: Tracy Yatsko, former high school athlete who sustained a brain injury; and Drew Nagele, Psy.D., board secretary; Rick Burkholder, head athletic trainer, Philadelphia Eagles; and Matthew Grady, M.D., Pediatric Sports Medicine Specialist, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
For more information about the Policy Committee and hearing materials, visit www.pahouse.com/PolicyCommittee
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