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When I’m not working at Safe Kids, I spend most of my time coaching a club field hockey team with girls ages 12-19. This is an elite club that was created for the best players from northern Virginia to come together, play in tournaments and hopefully get recruited to play in college. They are incredible athletes and have an inspiring passion for the game.
“You should probably sit out for a few practices, just in case,” my trainer said the day after I was struck in the head by a field hockey ball. An opponent’s powerful shot on goal had struck the side of my head, leaving me dazed for several minutes. I wasn’t showing any symptoms of a concussion the day after, but extra precaution was always in my trainer’s mind. Hits to the head were not an unusual occurrence. Throughout each season, at least one teammate had to sit out because of a possible concussion.
Sometimes, positive change comes from bad things.
Nine years ago, Zackery Lystedt was a playing football game with his team at Maple Valley Junior High. Zack went back into the game in the fourth quarter after a hard hit in the third. The game ended, his dad, Victor, ran out onto the field to congratulate Zach for a good play. Zack told his dad that his head hurt. Then, he said, he couldn't see, and then Zack collapsed onto the field.