It's as much a 'right of passage' of manhood as it's a sport and today's examination of brain concussions specifically CTE is being closely monitored, tested, and explored.It's the price one pays to make it big. In order to be a star you must shine, capture the coaches attention, play your heart out, and win, BIG!
However, what's the cost for all that stigma, excitement, and cheers!
Is it worth your life?
This is the question posed from Vicki Mayk and others who are realizing that you don't need jarring, mind altering blows to the head, to have loss of memory, altered mood swings, and mind altering behaviors from concussions.
While football is as much a 'tough guy' sport it's now becoming a female accepted and played sport and that too will be another angle to interject upon this discussion.
As a family of football players, a true PSU fan, a sister of three brothers (as the only daughter) it's without hesitation that I note Pennsylvania especially here in Luzerne County places football as more than just a mere sport. It's where you'll find anyone and everyone on the weekend. It's become so big that entire news write-ups are now strictly devoted to football on the weekend with news anchors that make it a big production not just on tv but across social media.
In fact, I'm often jealous that football receives so much attention at the exclusion of other sports such as my daughter's volleyball as they reached the state district playoffs and finals for PIAA District 2A with Holy Redeemer in her senior year yet barely received two small sentences in our local paper because of football.
I would also note my brother David Gatcha and uncle George Gatcha are both well known football players in our county. One played for Brown University with the latter in the 1960's played for Wilkes Barre Township and beyond making a huge name for himself in the sport.
However, both now suffer from debilitating injuries including my younger brother David having just had shoulder surgery from playing being named All-Ivy League Defensive End during his career. My uncle had numerous titles under his belt as well but sadly we don't communicate so I can't tell you what they fully entail.
In addition, it was the local news on October 2, 2020 report that introduced me to this author and her powerful story about the tragic death by suicide of Owen
As I write this I'm listening to the re-run of Lake Lehman v Crestwood for the title in football and I can't help but think just how young, nieve, and impressionable these young men are and the enticement factors to play.
The money, the scholarships, the fame, the love of the sport, the commaderie, the ever lasting friendships bring us to this point.
However, in the end you must decide: is it worth the risk.
Sure, the game itself has invested money, time, energy to make it a safe environment but like Nascar and similar sporting events you can only do so much with head/neck restraints and helmets. In the end, there are going to be risk and rewards and you must ultimately choose what is most important to you as a player and your family as bystanders and supporters.
I've known many young men like my own brothers who began playing football young, be it at home, or on the field, and mainly just for fun. It wasn't until my younger brother who was applauded and egged on by my father decided to join the sport to make a name for himself.
I can recall those late nights with the coaches, recruits, and players on both ends of the conference calls trying to illicit my brother to join their college program.
He settled for Brown University but has payed the price with knee, back, and shoulder problems so severe that at 42 years of age he's had a knee replacement, major back surgery for spinal stenosis that was pressing on his gall bladder, and now just had his shoulder operated on after he had pulled it out of socket playing football all those years ago.
It's a grueling sport that requires skill, attention to detail, and men as warriors of their trade yet they do pay a huge price and it's why even though my son whose now 20 doesn't play any sports due to medical disabilities would never play football under my watch as a parent.
I know the risks, I've seen the hits, I've watched grown men go after coaches/staff for bad calls, and I'll tell you it's a risk that far outweighs the rewards.
Such is the case with Saquon Barkley who went pro before finishing out his career at PSU only to have a torn ACL and is out for the rest of his NFL season with the Giants.
This new work by Vicki truly shed a light on the importance of knowing your facts prior to getting actively engaged in this sport and in the ultimate cost of life.
It's so heartbreaking to have learned of Owen Thomas and his situation and how it affected all those lives he touched.
It's for the love of the game that these young men play but it's also for the love of the game that they will go to in making a play.
I hope this will shed a much needed discussion upon the importance of not playing under the age of 14 as well as the need to further evaluate former football players upon their passing to get more of this crucial examination of evidence upon concussions and CTE- chronic traumatic encephalopathy.
I hope we have more information, research, and further evaluation upon this very topic as it's crucial for players development, mindset, and future careers.
Thank you to my local library and WNEP TV for this introduction to this wonderful new novel by Vicki Mayk.
It's a highly recommended read!
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