So many people ask me where do I stand when it comes to football, youth tackle football, and TBI (Traumatic brain injuries) because I am a TBI survivor and founder of an org who's focus is to advocate, educate, empower, and support individuals and families affected by brain injuries.
Well it's actual very difficult to take a side. I grow up in a football town. My mix race, equal opportunity, middle classed town Piscataway is located in central NJ. It is a town that if you grew up there no matter where you live in the world now, you will most likely say that it is the number one football town in the State for High school football. ( To Date!)
Football was our extended family. Where every player, cheerleader, band member, and color guard's parent during the season was your parent as well. ( Let's be real even out of season theses parents still looked out for us as their own.) Each family adopted the leagues children as there children in Piscataway and I think that's what makes the town so glorious. That family, athletic, and competitive spirit connection was the same drive that helped shape us to becoming successful adults today. Because of that I can say like my peers many of us continued to succeed in college, then travel, and became people who care enough to always give back in our respected fields.
So its safe to say football has a dear place in my heart! I cheered for many years, I coached cheerleading for many years, most of my closes friends are from my long days of cheer practice and fun nights at our football games.
But once diagnosed with Post Concussion Syndrome I instantly began to look up anything and every thing that had information on TBI and it actually made me more concerned for my community as a whole! Traumatic brain injuries may be caused from a number of ways: Falls, vehicle-related collisions, explosive blasts and other combat injuries or sports. It would be a disservice not to inform communities on all ways to prevent TBI .
IT is important to be educated to try and prevent TBI as much as we can.
IT is important to advocate for those who are new to the TBI community, so they know what resources are available to them .
IT is important to empower those who are affected by TBI, so they can explore know new ways to enjoy life after.
IT is important to support tho affected by TBI, so they know they are not alone.