Dont Put Him In The Game Coach

Dante Lambright

A- Abstract
 The title of my research paper is Dont put him in the game coach. The name of my

project is Say No Stay Out. This quote gives the readers a slight glimpse of how harmful and

the seriousness of my topic. My senior project is personal to me, because play football.

Concussions are serious and many football players are injured and killed. My senior project will

focus on the legal rights of families. Should the coaches and athletic staff be held accountable for

the suffering and brain damage of athletes, caused by consistent concussions and blows to the

head? By analyzing this topic more closely, I will be able to help create awareness about the the

players safety, while informing others. My research paper name came about through the common

phrase athletes use put him in the game coach. Instead I changed it to Dont put him in the

game, which gives a more assertive push to my overall topic, by saying take a play off and

make sure your ok. I selected this topic because I play football. I have suffered from severe hits

to the head to the point that my vision was blurred and I wasnt able to walk straight at the

moment. Addressing this issue is a must because within the past ten years, former football

players from high school to NFL, have committed suicide due to a progressive degenerative

disease, which is caused by repetitive brain trauma. This disease is called Chronic Traumatic

Encephalopathy (CTE) and its an ongoing war that many athletes encounter. Who is to blame

for this disease? As I stated, the disease is caused by repetitive brain trauma and numerous

concussions. At what point do the coaches and athletic staff call it quits for a player who has

been diagnosed. This leads to four driving questions to this issue. What is the magic number of

concussions where the coaches and athletic staff call it quits, are the coaches at fault if an athlete

lies about their concussion symptoms in order to keep playing, what are the coaches

responsibilities on the player safety on athletes, and should there be a law that limits the days of

hitting during practice? For my senior project event, I will host a seminar at Great Neck Middle
school. My target audience will be the 8th grade P.E. class. I believe that this audience will

benefit the most, because a large percentage of the kids will go off and play high school football.

Their chances of being injured and receiving concussions may increase in high school. This

project will bring awareness and give them key factors, so theyll be able to recognize the

symptoms of a concussion. They will understand the importance of reporting their symptoms,

ultimately, preventing further damage. I will address the seriousness of concussions and explain

the after effects such as CTE. Also, I will share with the class why we must report concussions to

a coach. A guest speaker will come to share some of his personal experiences on playing football

and on player safety. When the guest speaker has finished, we will then go onto the football field

and perform different types of player safety drills that will help prevent head to head contact and

concussions. In addition, I will organize a seven on seven flag football tournament, to promote

that flag football is just as fun and more safe, than contact football. As I stated before, I will host

my seminar at Great Neck Middle school around the month of March. I will have a survey for

the children on how their experience were and what they learned. Materials needed for this

project will be handouts for the participants that will explain the events during the seminar. They

will gifts such as footballs, after the seminar. Attending First Colonial, Ive made a personal

connection with all my teachers, coaches, and other staff. However, there was always that one

staff/coach who I know I could come to him for anything, knowing they would assist me. This is

why I have selected Coach Brown as my consultant to help assist me with my project. Coach

Brown has a great background in football and will be very knowledgeable when it comes to

creative ideas for my seminar. With his football background in which he played football at UNC

and then later on to the NFL for the Philadelphia Eagles, he will be able to help me communicate

with professionals who could prospects for my guest speaker. Lastly I will create a website that
 will display new information on player safety, long term, and short term effects of concussions.

Within the blog, my viewers will be able to look into recent cases on former players with CTE

and a background on their life before attracting this disease and living with the disease. Being

that I wouldn't be able to make contact with these high classes players, my blog will be an access

tool to reach out so that many athletes from all over may view.

B- Learning Skills

I will need to enhance my technology skills

I will need to learn how to plan and organize an event
I will need to learn how to contact professional people
I will need to enhance my public speaking to where a younger crowd such as the 8th graders will

understand.

C- Marketing Plan/ Facilities/ Audience

My intended audience would be directed to two set of groups of football players. Starting

with the youngest set of players middle and high school athletes. I will hold my venue at Great

Neck middle school, where I would be talking to the 8th grade class. Being that they will be

entering into high school football next year. Talking to them about the seriousness of concussions

and going over player safety with them will be beneficial.

D- Project steps

Preliminary Steps Creating topic for senior 4 hours

project and discussing all the
steps needed such as venue,
final paper, and panel with
consultant.
 Reach out to guest speaker

Mid-way steps Go to Great Neck and review 6 hours

all that everything is planned
out for the venue in
May.
Confirm with guest speaker
he is able to attend still.
Consult with my mentor.

Later Steps Food and drinks for event at 6 hours

Great Neck
Gather equipment such as
flags for football and
footballs.
T shirts for the teams. Consult
with mentor.

Follow up Make sure everything is all 4 hours

set up for the event.
gather any small pieces for
the event if needed.
Preparation day of setting up
the events occurring.

Total 20 hours

E- Project documentation, in order to fulfill my project

Video camera that will show what went on during the event
Receipt
Emails and text messages from consultant and guest speaker.
Flyers
Website that will provide day to day news on the ongoing process.

F- Project Justification

Growing up playing football I would hear how dangerous football is. A series of violent

blows to the head or neck. Repeated concussions can cause chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a

brain disease found in some NFL players. But now, a new study is raising concern about high
school football players. . I chose this topic to speak out on a killer disease that younger kids need

to know about. CNN news research study showed in the United States 1,088,158 play football,

my objective is to reach out to athletes and coaches on player safety. Reaching out to that many

athletes would be a stretch, but affecting a small community such as Virginia Beach will be goal.

I hope to accomplish a decreasing rate of concussions due to my project with the player safety

and with the coaches being more liable with their athletes on.

G- Project Paper connection

Do families have the right to sue the coaches and athletic staff for being liable for

suffering of brain damage from the consistent concussions and blows to the head? Player safety

should be the most important thing to consider during any sport. If coaches are neglecting this

action and the player gets hurt when the coaches could have prevented this action all legal suits

should deemed necessary to the coaching and athletic staff. Negligence would be main point on

proceeding this case, coaches and schools have a duty of care to protect their students and

provide a safe environment.

H- Academic Honesty

The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles is having integrity.

Academic honesty is to not violate the trust of someone or take away someone's work and use it

for your own use. I understand the seriousness of this project and that all work that I present your

will be my own work.

I understand that any academic dishonesty by me on any part of the project will result in failure

of the Senior Project and forfeiture of the Legal Studies Seal on my High School diploma.