Junior Maurice Wyatt took a bad hit to his head during football practice, and as a result he received a concussion. Due to Wyatt’s concussion he missed four football games.  A concussion is a brain injury that can be caused by a blow to the head, or jolt to the head explained in “Heads Up: Concussion in Football,” written by USA Football and the Center of Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

On the football field a concussion can be a result of a fall, players colliding with each other, or an obstacle such as the goal post. Playing with a concussion can have long-term problems. It can even be fatal.

“We had a student not at this school (Smoky Hill High School) at a local school who was a football player and had a concussion and nobody knew he’d gotten it, but he continued to play football and he got a second head injury on the field and he died,” school nurse Jennifer Stone said.

“Heads Up Concussion in Football” explained that athletes who have had a concussion before are more likely to get another concussion. Teens and young children are more likely to get a concussion.
After a concussion, it is important to rest because it helps the brain to heal. “You need to rest so the brain may need to take a break for a while,” Stone said. “If you don’t take a break it’s going to take longer to get better.”