Heather McKenzie (Informatics Nurse): Days As Athlete Over, It's Time To Pay It Forward

Submitted by May Is Sports Moms Month on Sun, 05/20/2012 - 15:58. | comments

Being the mother of an athlete is a challenging yet rewarding role. So MomsTEAM has designated May as Sports Moms Month and is celebrating by asking some of our favorite sports moms to share their wisdom by responding to a series of questions.

So far this month we have heard from a fascinating range of sports moms, from a mom of an Olympic athlete to moms who were themselves Olympic athletes, from a mom of two former minor league baseball players to a Minnesota hockey mom and author.

Today, we hear from Heather McKenzie, a nurse, sports mom and cheer coach from Union Bridge, Maryland:

MomsTEAM: Were you an athlete and what sports did you play as a youth (under 19)?

A nurse and sports mom to four active young kids believes that, now that her own days as a youth athlete are over, it is her turn to pay it forward by volunteering as a cheerleading coach for her 8-year-old daughter's team.

Concussions in High School Sports Rising at 15% Annual Rate, Study Finds

Concussion in high school sports are increasing at a 15% annual rate, finds a new study. Consistent with previous studies, football accounted for more than half of all concussions and a concussion rate nearly double the rate for girls' soccer, the sport with the next highest rate. Concussion rates increased across all 12 sports studied. Although the degree of change varied, ranging from an average annual increase of 8% for football to 27% for wrestling, Girls had a higher rate of concussion that that of boys in those sports (soccer, basketball, baseball/softball) where the boys' and girls' games are essentially the same.

NJSIAA Concussion Guidelines Among Strictest in Country

The concussion identification, management and return-to-play policy statement of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) is among the strictest in the country, requiring a 12-day minimum return-to-play waiting period for any athlete suspected of having suffered a concussion.

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