Thought this might fit here on your board as the kid was offered by JMU:

‘Concussion’ Film Inspires High School Football Star to Reject College Scholarships

By JULIA JACOBO, ABC News
Feb 3, 2016, 6:35 PM ET



A high school football star in Pennsylvania got what most players dream of: several scholarships to Division I schools. But after 18-year-old John Castello saw the movie "Concussion," he decided the potential health risks the game poses isn't worth the free ride to college, so he turned them all down.

Castello had been offered full scholarships to seven Division I AA schools, including the University of Delaware and James Madison University, he told ABC News today. Watching the movie "Concussion" over the Christmas holiday, which stars Will Smith as Nigerian doctor Bennet Omalu and his findings on the impact of concussions on NFL players, significantly altered how he thought about his future.

"I thought it would shed some light and help me make a decision on whether I should play football or not," he said.

Castello was "taken aback" by the movie, he said, adding that watching the health of Pittsburgh Steelers center "Iron Mike" Webster deteriorate made him think twice about the sport he loved so much growing up.

"Growing up a Steelers fan, everyone loved Mike Webster," he said. "To see what he went through, because of football, that really hit me hard."

Castello said witnessing the misfortunes of former football players, from the high school to the professional level, has served as a cautionary tale and aided in his resolution to stop playing.

"They've attempted suicide, gone bankrupt, broke,homeless -- and at a young age -- not older, but in their 40s and 50s," he said. "That’s very concerning to me."

The high school senior has received some flack from fellow students and recruiting coaches who have called him "soft" or "too scared" to play.

"They didn’t understand where I’m coming from," he said.

His high school football coach called him a "great football player."

"I don’t think there’s any doubt about that," Mars Area High School head football coach and athletic director Scott Heinauer told ABC News today, citing the level of recruitment Castello experienced.

"He’s a great kid," Heinauer said. "No matter what he does in life, John will be successful."

Castello said the thing he'll miss most about football is the brotherhood, but the 6-foot-5-inch, 225-pound tight end and defensive end decided to focus on another sport he's been playing for almost 10 years: basketball. But the decision was made even more difficult by the fact that he hadn't yet been offered any basketball scholarships.

"It was very, very hard to choose,” Castello said, but added that it's "probably the right choice" for the future.

Good for him. Hopefully he is rewarded in some other way for college.

Better now than later I guess. Good luck outside of football.

Tough to say, some of the best leaders in business I know were former football players

Interesting article about the movie and CTE.

Six things 'Concussion' won't tell you

(02-05-2016 02:54 PM)JMUDukes92 Wrote:  Interesting article about the movie and CTE.

Six things 'Concussion' won't tell you

Good article, thank you for posting it

(02-05-2016 02:54 PM)JMUDukes92 Wrote:  Interesting article about the movie and CTE.

Six things 'Concussion' won't tell you

Not surprising. Hollywood rarely makes a movie based on a true story/event that is even close to historically accurate..

(02-05-2016 02:04 PM)Centdukesfan Wrote:  Tough to say, some of the best leaders in business I know were former football players

Yeah, I know plenty of guys on here and that I've met through work and everyday life over the years that played 4-5 seasons of college ball that seem like normal, intelligent, successful, people, and most of them played before the increased awareness, the better techniques being taught, better helmets, better rules, better medical diagnosis, the mandatory sitting out periods if diagnosed. I would imagine with that things are safer now than they were back in the day when it was after getting their bell rung the "how many fingers am I holding up" if the player got the number right he went back in.

While the science is not yet precise it still seems pretty clear that playing football certainly increases your chances of developing CTE.
I may be wrong but my gut tells me that this feels a lot like the early arguments regarding the link between smoking and lung cancer. Lots of people spend their entire adult life smoking prodigiously and they don't get lung cancer. We no longer hold that out as evidence that smoking is not harmful to your health.

Yeah, but just because a sport or activitty has concussion risks doesn't mean people shouldn't do them. People can get concussion(s) from collision sports like lacrosse and hockey. Of course from MMA & boxing. From skateboarding, mtn biking, skiing (I know that one from personal experience). Even apparently from soccer from heading the ball.
U.S. youth soccer players told: Don't head the ball
http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/10/health/us-...index.html

Actually one of the worst sports for concussions is soccer as BDKJMU mentioned. No head protection at all and how many headers do you see in a typical game. At least most of the other sports have some sort of head and or eye protection.


Brian

(02-06-2016 12:41 PM)ParentofJMUMRDs Wrote:  Actually one of the worst sports for concussions is soccer as BDKJMU mentioned. No head protection at all and how many headers do you see in a typical game. At least most of the other sports have some sort of head and or eye protection.


Brian

A few years ago when I was coaching in GA, our track team was warming up on the track and a bullet soccer kick came from the field and hit a girl in the head and she received a concussion. I have had competition cheerleeders on track teams and some of them got concussions as "flyers" and as "catchers" (base) when cheerleading.

(02-06-2016 04:14 PM)formerjmusprinter84 Wrote:  

(02-06-2016 12:41 PM)ParentofJMUMRDs Wrote:  Actually one of the worst sports for concussions is soccer as BDKJMU mentioned. No head protection at all and how many headers do you see in a typical game. At least most of the other sports have some sort of head and or eye protection.


Brian

A few years ago when I was coaching in GA, our track team was warming up on the track and a bullet soccer kick came from the field and hit a girl in the head and she received a concussion. I have had competition cheerleeders on track teams and some of them got concussions as "flyers" and as "catchers" (base) when cheerleading.

Prince William County makes all parents go to a one hour meeting on concussions before their kid can play a sport. Double Concussion/Impact Syndrome is pretty brutal. It's scary as a parent that's for sure.

When I played, it was almost "cool" to get a concussion and go back out. Getting your bell run was sometimes treated as a funny event. I recall seeing stars, but would not say a word so as not to look weak.